Accidents - Disasters - Fires - Floods - Tragedies

Aug. 08, 1954 - Tug-o-war for blazing ship.: Early today, the 2, 055 Norwegian Steamer Mildrid, was blazing furiously off Harlish - over 20 hours after she caught fire and after an all-day tug-o-war by British and French ships to claim her as a prize. The battle to salvage the Mildrid began almost as soon as the 29 crew and passengers had abandoned her seven miles out yesterday, French fisherman from the 271-ton Broton trawler, Gai Floreal, claimed they were the first to board her and take her in tow. But men from the British tug Turmoil, of Flying Enterprise fame, also took the Mildrid in tow, fought the fire and brought her almost into Harwich. the Mildrid was on her way from Trondheim to Rochester, Kent, with a cargo of wood pulp on board, when fire broke out at 3.a.m. yesterday. Abroad were screw of 25 - including three Englishmen, her owner, 44-year old Mr. Halvard Bachke, his wife, Gerd and their children, Bertil, 14, and Lisbet 11. Amidships, the vessel was a blaze, and two of her lifeboats were already on fire. Mr. and Mrs. Bachke, with their children in their arms, got away in a tiny working boat, while the crew scrambled into a lifeboat. Shivering and black with oil, the survivors were picked up half-an-hour later by the British collier, Corfen. Photo shows saved from the burning ship - seen aboard the collier Corfen, are Mr. Halvard Bachke, owner of the Mildrid, his daughter Bertil, 14 (left), Mrs. Bachke and daughter Lisbet, 11. With them, on extreme right - is Capt. F. Granger, skipper of the Corfen

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

44-year Abroad Amidships Bertil Blaze Blazing Broke Capt Claim Claimed Collier Englishmen Enterprise Extreme Floreal Fought Furiously Gerd Granger Half-an-hour Harwich Lifeboat Lifeboats Lisbet Picked Pulp Rochester Salvage Saved Scrambled Screw Shivering Skipper Survivors Tiny Trawler Trondheim Tug-o-war Turmoil

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