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Story
May 16, 1934
The Times News
Hendersonville, Henderson County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
In fog over Nantucket Shoals, the White Star liner Olympic collided with the Nantucket lightship, sinking it and killing seven crewmen. The tragedy is attributed to the liner following the lightship's radio beam too closely, despite prior warnings.
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SEA TRAGEDY IS BLAMED ON RADIO BEAMS
White Star Liner Driving Too Close to Signal When Crash Came
NEW YORK, May 16.—(UP).
The huge White Star liner Olympic loomed through the fog over Nantucket Shoals Tuesday, struck the Nantucket lightship amidship and with the crashing impact of her 46,000 steel tons, sent her to the bottom with a loss of seven lives.
Of the lightship's crew of 11, keeping vigil over the foggy banks, four never were seen again. Small boats, hastily lowered from the steep sides of the Olympic rescued seven of the floundering seamen. Three, crushed in the sinking wreckage, their lungs filled with water, died in the ship's hospital.
The sea drama was heightened by tragic inference that it may have been the Nantucket's radio directional beam—the beam along which the Olympic presumably was riding—that lured the liner directly into the small orbit of the lightship.
Speculation in maritime circles over cause of the tragedy brought recurrence of warnings from navigators against the danger of riding too closely along the radio beams. More than once, it was revealed, there had been narrow escapes from similar tragedies when the oncoming ship has failed to veer sufficiently from the true course of the beam to give leeway to objects in front of it.
The department of commerce in Washington only recently made note of the danger attending the new device, and warned it should be used cautiously in thick weather.
The Nantucket was one of the most efficient, as well as the largest, lightship in the world. She carried an oscillating incandescent light of 3,000 candlepower, her powerful radio beacon, and a synchronized submarine oscillator.
The shoals lightship was considered the most important link in the protective chain of lights that lead the great liners down the coast from the Grand Banks and safely into New York harbor. She is the first main station picked up by the men on the bridge, and after they "hit" her signals, they veer sharply until they pick up the Fire Island lightship, miles farther on their course.
Rolling constantly over 18-degree seas, the Nantucket was the chain that held the usual protection of anchor and hawser.
White Star Liner Driving Too Close to Signal When Crash Came
NEW YORK, May 16.—(UP).
The huge White Star liner Olympic loomed through the fog over Nantucket Shoals Tuesday, struck the Nantucket lightship amidship and with the crashing impact of her 46,000 steel tons, sent her to the bottom with a loss of seven lives.
Of the lightship's crew of 11, keeping vigil over the foggy banks, four never were seen again. Small boats, hastily lowered from the steep sides of the Olympic rescued seven of the floundering seamen. Three, crushed in the sinking wreckage, their lungs filled with water, died in the ship's hospital.
The sea drama was heightened by tragic inference that it may have been the Nantucket's radio directional beam—the beam along which the Olympic presumably was riding—that lured the liner directly into the small orbit of the lightship.
Speculation in maritime circles over cause of the tragedy brought recurrence of warnings from navigators against the danger of riding too closely along the radio beams. More than once, it was revealed, there had been narrow escapes from similar tragedies when the oncoming ship has failed to veer sufficiently from the true course of the beam to give leeway to objects in front of it.
The department of commerce in Washington only recently made note of the danger attending the new device, and warned it should be used cautiously in thick weather.
The Nantucket was one of the most efficient, as well as the largest, lightship in the world. She carried an oscillating incandescent light of 3,000 candlepower, her powerful radio beacon, and a synchronized submarine oscillator.
The shoals lightship was considered the most important link in the protective chain of lights that lead the great liners down the coast from the Grand Banks and safely into New York harbor. She is the first main station picked up by the men on the bridge, and after they "hit" her signals, they veer sharply until they pick up the Fire Island lightship, miles farther on their course.
Rolling constantly over 18-degree seas, the Nantucket was the chain that held the usual protection of anchor and hawser.
What sub-type of article is it?
Disaster
Tragedy
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Catastrophe
Misfortune
Tragedy
What keywords are associated?
Ship Collision
Lightship Sinking
Radio Beam Danger
Nantucket Shoals
White Star Olympic
Where did it happen?
Nantucket Shoals
Story Details
Location
Nantucket Shoals
Event Date
Tuesday
Story Details
The White Star liner Olympic struck the Nantucket lightship amidship in fog, sinking it with the loss of seven lives out of eleven crew members. The collision is blamed on the liner riding too closely to the lightship's radio directional beam.