Joyita Found

Abandoned

I 70 tons Joyita, which had been missing in the Pacific for five weeks, was found north of i waterlogged and abandoned,

pvember 10.

[full story of Joyita’s mysteri jisappearance appears on page

pis issue.

I was found by a Western c High Commission ship, Hi. about 90 miles due north I Fiji Group, while that vessel on a voyage from Suva to ta. j alu stood by while the Assist jarbour Master of Suva, Captain frames, proceeded to the spot I Degei. Degei took Joyita in nd by the afternoon of Sun- November 13, she had been Bd at Malau, near Labasa, I Levu, Fiji. [November 14, she had been ;d out and righted and will ted to Suva, where a marine w will be held. telue to the fate of the 25 is, known to have been on when the ship left Apia on ir 3 for the two days voyage Ibkelaus, has been discovered. iNZAF flying-boats, based on have been scouring the whole ■or signs of rafts at sea, or [taways on any of the islands in Samoa and the Solomons, kix weeks after the Joyita eported overdue, hopes for t survivors are fading.

Uoyita mystery has become a sensation and in Australasian ipers, speculation about the if her passengers and crew ie events that led up to her Abandoned, have taken the of the Princess Margaret- ITownsend romance, osions, holing, ramming, have all been put forward as B theories, and then scrapped, greatest mystery is why the 'as abandoned at all. Now P has been pumped out, there S to be no real reason why (nplement did not stay with theory of piracy, looting and tig has gained some favour it was known that a large Hhing fleet was engaged in brides waters at the time.

Isewhere this issue). A Jap [fishing vessel may have ‘tally run into the ship after s abandoned—or, of course, she was abandoned. She uso have been looted, after [ abandoned, by Japanese.

However, it is unlikely that this will ever be proved.

RNZAF flying-boats equipped with the latest radar devices searched 100,000 square miles of sea after Joyita was reported missing— proving once again that aerial search for small-ships can fre quently be completely abortive.

They £ ave U P the search in Oc tober but after discovery of the Joyiia on November 10, air search for sur vivors was renewed.