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With Reuben
Goossens
Maritime
Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Memories
of the JVO
MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt
Chapter
Nine
The End is Near
Lakonia on fire
After several explosions, Lakonia
was burning furiously, lighting the clear night sky. The Argentinean Passenger
ship, "Salta"
was the first to arrive at the scene. This ship rescued the majority of the
survivors. The British ship Montclalm
was the next ship to arrive , with the next ship being
the Belgian "Charlesville", P&O's "Stratheden", HMS
"Centaur", "Rio Grande",
and the "Mehdi."
Many of Lakonia’s lifeboats
that were safely launched reached the Salta,
which had also launched her lifeboats picking up those the remaining
passengers. Whilst the crew of the Charlesville went onboard the burning ship
searching for survivors who were still aboard who had been abandoned by the
crew, and then searched the waters near and around the ship. Lakonia’s
captain held fast to tradition and was the last person to leave the dying ship.
He was collected by a lifeboat from the Charelsville.
Those survivors not rescued by the courageous crew of the Salta, were taken aboard various ships now at
the scene. Soon the Lakonia was ablaze with the fire now raging from the bridge
to the stern, with smoke gushing from the forward holds. Early in the morning, launches were sent for a final
search. This was accomplished with the help of American and British aircraft.
They searched the stern of Lakonia and the surrounding waters for survivors,
but sadly, their final report concluded, "There are still a number of
bodies in the water, but no sign of life. "
Tragically, one hundred and twenty eight, out of one thousand and twenty two,
souls were lost. Then there were those that were badly injured and in shock.
Most of the survivors commended the crew for their bravery and a job well done.
But some spoke of cowardice, communications and language difficulties, and
looting of passenger belongings from cabins. It must be recognised that most of
the crew worked very hard, both fighting the fire and saving as many passengers
as possible. The number of lives saved is testament to this fact.
A
sad sight of what was once a fine ship!
On Tuesday 24
December, Christmas Day, Lakonia was listing some 10 degrees whilst continuing
to burn deep within. The elegant spotless white liner that departed Southampton just five days
ago was now a sad sight. Topside her bridge and several of her aft decks had
caved in. Her white hull plates were severely scared and were now black because
of the fire. On this day, Dutch and Norwegian tugs,
with naval assistance, managed to attach towropes and commenced to tow Lakonia
to Gibraltar through choppy seas. Suddenly,
five days later, the dying cruise liner finally gave up, due the worsening
weather. First, her list began to increase, then around noon on Sunday 29
December 1963; the Lakonia began to sink. The end was very fast; within three
minutes, she heeled over on her starboard side and with a huge splash went
under the waves. A tragic end to a fine ship.
Newspaper
clipping of the keeling over and sinking of the Lakonia
Chapter 10 - Conclusion
JVO Index
Chapters
with an * were recently updated
Introduction Remembering the JVO
Chapter 1 The New Pride of the Netherlands
Chapter 2 JVO the Trooper
Chapter 3 A New Service
Chapter 4 New Lease of Life
*
Chapter
5 JVO the Cruise Ship *
Chapter
6 Goodbye JVO *
Chapter
7 Cruise Ship TSMS Lakonia
Chapter
8 Lakonia's Final Voyage *This Chapter has 17 new photographs
and stories – Dec
2009
Chapter
9 The End is Near
Chapter
10 Conclusion
*
Passenger
stories
Page
One Boelen Family – The night
the JVO almost went down
Page Two - NEW Pieter
Goldhoorn –1947 – a
soldier’s voyage to the East Indies (Indonesia)
Page Three William Hamlyn
– 1945 Royal
Signalman’s voyage home from wartime duties
Page Four - NEW Laszlo
Pal – A Voyage to Canada
Page Five
– NEW Harold Heasman – His service on the JVO from March 1942 to
August 1943
***********************************
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This
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photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page,
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