Newspaper articles on the sinking of St. Philibert
“Grim Discoveries.
PARIS, Aug. 7, 1931
Grim discoveries are being made by divers who are exploring the wreck of the excursion steamer St. Philibert, which sank at the mouth of the Loire with the loss of more than 450 lives in June. They are mystified by the finding of bodies in the forehold, which has no ladders and which should, according to the regulations, have been battened down. Among 15 corpses recovered were those of a man and a woman who met death with their arms clasped around one another. There were no bodies in the saloon, where there was a buffet, and boxes were found full of untouched life belts.”
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4395938#pstart486242
Monday, June 15, 1931
400 Lives Lost as Ship Sinks
One of the Eight Survivors Tells Graphic Story of How He Struggled For Life After Leaping in Water
St. Nazaire, France, June 15. Daniel Duverger, a twenty-year-old carpenter, sat over a steaming bowl of coffee in a borrowed suit of clothes today and told the story of the sinking of the excursion steamer St. Philibert.
He is one of the eight persons who escaped when more than 400 picknickers were drowned.
"There were 467 of us when the boat started from Nantes at 8 o'clock yesterday morning." he said. "She rolled badly in the wind on the way out and some of us were pretty sick, but when we got to the island (of Noirmoutiers) everybody forgot the bad weather and we had a happy time. We put out on the way home at 5pm. The weather was very bad and the wind was terrific but we had a good time and everybody thought we would get home safely."
Waves Make Boat Roll
"It was about 6 o'clock, I think, when tremendous waves piled up in the bay and the boat began to roll dreadfully. The wind was hitting us from the port side and it seemed to me that everybody decided all at once to get over on the other side. We rushed over together. It was the worst thing we could have done, but we were not seamen and didn't realize it then. The ship keeled over from our weight. Several big waves came aboard one after another and suddenly I realized that we were in danger. I had a distinct premonition that we would sink. I am a good swimmer and when I felt the ship turning under my feet I dived into the water. It was none too soon and even though I was clear of the boat ship dragged me down in the suction and I think I must have gone clear to the bottom. Something struck me on the leg but I don't know what it was. Then I felt myself going up. I kicked with all mu strength and then I was on the surface again."
Boat Turns Over
"It couldn't have been long that I was under water, for when I shot into the air I saw to my horror that the keel of the boat was above the surface. She had turned completely over. I filled my lungs, for they seemed to be bursting, and I saw clinging to the keel a few dazed terrified men and women. The seas were still tremendous, and while I watched I saw some of them slide off into the water. The women shrieked, and the men, too, but I could not help them. Then suddenly the ship disappeared, carrying every one down with it. I began to swim. It seemed dark as midnight, but I ran into a lifeboat to which several other passengers already were clinging. I grabbed the side of the boat, but it was pitching and tossing so that I could not climb in it. Neither could the others, but we held on with all our strength and the boat stayed afloat until the steamer Pornic came to our rescue."
Survivor Loses Family
"It was none too soon, for we were utterly exhausted."
Albert Berty also escaped with his life, but when a nurse asked him where she might reach his family to tell them of his safety, his eyes filled with tears.
"You can not reach them now," he said: "they are all at the bottom of the sea."
Francis Guillsume, the keeper of the signal station at Pointe de St. Gildas, told the other side of the story. He saw the St. Philibert go down.
"I picked her out with my glass," he said, "and saw here staggering along trying to make the mouth of the Loire. She negotiated a difficult passage where the water is only five fathoms deep and the bottom sends up jagged leges of rock. But when she got out of that she was still pitching badly, for there was a very heavy sea. Suddenly I saw her list to starboard and once she keeled over so far that I thought she would never come back, but she did. Then another sea struck her full amidships and she disappeared. This all happened so quickly, you understand, that I couldn't believe my eyes. I searched with my glass but I could see nothing of her. She was gone."
Guillame notified shore stations immediately and the rescue craft started out despite the violent weather which threatened their own safety.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JvpPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=glQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2152%2C2863136
PARIS, Aug. 7, 1931
Grim discoveries are being made by divers who are exploring the wreck of the excursion steamer St. Philibert, which sank at the mouth of the Loire with the loss of more than 450 lives in June. They are mystified by the finding of bodies in the forehold, which has no ladders and which should, according to the regulations, have been battened down. Among 15 corpses recovered were those of a man and a woman who met death with their arms clasped around one another. There were no bodies in the saloon, where there was a buffet, and boxes were found full of untouched life belts.”
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4395938#pstart486242
Monday, June 15, 1931
400 Lives Lost as Ship Sinks
One of the Eight Survivors Tells Graphic Story of How He Struggled For Life After Leaping in Water
St. Nazaire, France, June 15. Daniel Duverger, a twenty-year-old carpenter, sat over a steaming bowl of coffee in a borrowed suit of clothes today and told the story of the sinking of the excursion steamer St. Philibert.
He is one of the eight persons who escaped when more than 400 picknickers were drowned.
"There were 467 of us when the boat started from Nantes at 8 o'clock yesterday morning." he said. "She rolled badly in the wind on the way out and some of us were pretty sick, but when we got to the island (of Noirmoutiers) everybody forgot the bad weather and we had a happy time. We put out on the way home at 5pm. The weather was very bad and the wind was terrific but we had a good time and everybody thought we would get home safely."
Waves Make Boat Roll
"It was about 6 o'clock, I think, when tremendous waves piled up in the bay and the boat began to roll dreadfully. The wind was hitting us from the port side and it seemed to me that everybody decided all at once to get over on the other side. We rushed over together. It was the worst thing we could have done, but we were not seamen and didn't realize it then. The ship keeled over from our weight. Several big waves came aboard one after another and suddenly I realized that we were in danger. I had a distinct premonition that we would sink. I am a good swimmer and when I felt the ship turning under my feet I dived into the water. It was none too soon and even though I was clear of the boat ship dragged me down in the suction and I think I must have gone clear to the bottom. Something struck me on the leg but I don't know what it was. Then I felt myself going up. I kicked with all mu strength and then I was on the surface again."
Boat Turns Over
"It couldn't have been long that I was under water, for when I shot into the air I saw to my horror that the keel of the boat was above the surface. She had turned completely over. I filled my lungs, for they seemed to be bursting, and I saw clinging to the keel a few dazed terrified men and women. The seas were still tremendous, and while I watched I saw some of them slide off into the water. The women shrieked, and the men, too, but I could not help them. Then suddenly the ship disappeared, carrying every one down with it. I began to swim. It seemed dark as midnight, but I ran into a lifeboat to which several other passengers already were clinging. I grabbed the side of the boat, but it was pitching and tossing so that I could not climb in it. Neither could the others, but we held on with all our strength and the boat stayed afloat until the steamer Pornic came to our rescue."
Survivor Loses Family
"It was none too soon, for we were utterly exhausted."
Albert Berty also escaped with his life, but when a nurse asked him where she might reach his family to tell them of his safety, his eyes filled with tears.
"You can not reach them now," he said: "they are all at the bottom of the sea."
Francis Guillsume, the keeper of the signal station at Pointe de St. Gildas, told the other side of the story. He saw the St. Philibert go down.
"I picked her out with my glass," he said, "and saw here staggering along trying to make the mouth of the Loire. She negotiated a difficult passage where the water is only five fathoms deep and the bottom sends up jagged leges of rock. But when she got out of that she was still pitching badly, for there was a very heavy sea. Suddenly I saw her list to starboard and once she keeled over so far that I thought she would never come back, but she did. Then another sea struck her full amidships and she disappeared. This all happened so quickly, you understand, that I couldn't believe my eyes. I searched with my glass but I could see nothing of her. She was gone."
Guillame notified shore stations immediately and the rescue craft started out despite the violent weather which threatened their own safety.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JvpPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=glQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2152%2C2863136