Picked Up
p. 68 · Read in the full issue
Seven Lucky Men Picked Up From Stormy Seas
Papeete, July 9.
WHEN the S.S. “Sagittaire” arrived Papeete on July 3, she had on board seven U.S. Marine Corps aviators, who had been rescued from their rubber boat two days West of Tahiti, in the neighbourhood of Aitutaki (in the Cook Islands).
The Marines left Samoa by plane, to fly to Aitutaki. North of the Cooks they ran into a black To’erau storm, which destroyed visibility, and they could not get any idea of their position. When their petrol became exhausted, they were forced down and took to their rubber boats three in one and four in the other.
Fortunately, the “Sagittaire” was coming from Noumea to Papeete and, even more fortunately, she was able to pick up the aviators’ S.O.S. and direction signals, and located the rubber boats.
The seven were taken aboard, given medical attention, and were brought to Papeete safe and sound.
A plane from Samoa arrived at Papeete on July 3, and took the Marines back to their base on July 4.
The Marines were 12 hours on the water, and can count themselves lucky.