"Lan Crouch" Inquiry Opens Against

"A Background of Rumours”

“Ian A Crluch’ >C^n rt h°Jr I SSh!S! int ° the loss of the Australian schooner (“PIM" Tnni/nrr? n 6 Q7? ellVer V °y age Horn Hongkong to Australia a hnrtnrnvnH ° per ed ™ Hongkong on February 1, against the kind of rumours that have persisted since this vessel turn up m Port Adelaide as expected in late October. hdng freely stated that when she sailed she had two heavy cranes on deck that had not been supplied by her builders and that these may have caused her to turn over in a sea way. Neither the builders of lan Crouch” (who did not erect the cranes, if any), or the shipbuilders wno are alleged to have erected them, would make any statement before the inquiry began. ‘‘lan Crouch” left Hongkong on September 26 and has not been sighted, since, although a radio message was received from her the day following her departure. Extensive air and sea searches were made for her in New Guinea waters when an airline pilot and a local smallships skipper reported having seen her off the south coast of New Britain in November.

Later, a RAF Shackleton bomber crashed into the South China sea with the loss of all on board, when searching for survivors in that area.

Mr. Justice Gregg will preside at the Hongkong inquiry. He will be assisted by four marine assessors and will hear about 15 witnesses.

Among those who will attend the inquiry are Captain D. S. Bull, Commonwealth Director of Navigation ; Mr. R. N. Bannerm.an, of the Australian Attorney-General’s Department ; and Mr. R. N. Crouch, of Adelaide, who will represent the owners of the ship.