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326-IM-0065-0168
Title
The 'Ondo' and the Salvaging Crew at Work
Date(s)
- 1965-12-29 (Creation)
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The Times of Ceylon Press
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Hanbury (DAD) Seven brave men want to work a rather dangerous miracle off West Germany's North Sea Coast. Since early 1962, a "ghost ship" the wreck of the 5,400 gross register ton British cocoa freighter "Ondo" has jutted out of the waters at the mouth of the river Elbe. The ships, forced out of the navigable channels during a storm, can be salvaged despite a 52-degree list, the 54-year-old Wilhelmshaven ship salvager Helmuth Wulf firmly believes.
Several earlier attempts were made in vain, however, Wulf purchased the wreck for 50,000 DM (12,500 dollars). For the last three years he and his six helpers have been fighting against the greedy embraces of the "ship's cemetery" as the sand banks near the Elbe's mouth are called. The salvaging crew has already installed horizontal floors in the slanting cabins and made itself at home on the wreck. For some time, they have been indirect radio contact with the coast guard service as many an unexpected storm has already destroyed weeks and moths of work.
When all the cabin holes and leaks have been welded tight with steel plates the water and mud will be pumped out of the ship and compressed air will be pumped into the closed rooms. Thus the freighter will be raised and an then be towed off.
Should Wulf succeed, he would earn six million DM (1.5 million dollars) in pure profits. The bets among seamen in Hamburg's bars 7:3 against Wulf. But the seven adventurers refuse to give up.
Photo shows: (above) The "Ondo" with its 52 degree list and (below), the salvaging crew at work.
Several earlier attempts were made in vain, however, Wulf purchased the wreck for 50,000 DM (12,500 dollars). For the last three years he and his six helpers have been fighting against the greedy embraces of the "ship's cemetery" as the sand banks near the Elbe's mouth are called. The salvaging crew has already installed horizontal floors in the slanting cabins and made itself at home on the wreck. For some time, they have been indirect radio contact with the coast guard service as many an unexpected storm has already destroyed weeks and moths of work.
When all the cabin holes and leaks have been welded tight with steel plates the water and mud will be pumped out of the ship and compressed air will be pumped into the closed rooms. Thus the freighter will be raised and an then be towed off.
Should Wulf succeed, he would earn six million DM (1.5 million dollars) in pure profits. The bets among seamen in Hamburg's bars 7:3 against Wulf. But the seven adventurers refuse to give up.
Photo shows: (above) The "Ondo" with its 52 degree list and (below), the salvaging crew at work.
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- The Times of Ceylon Press (Creator)
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image/tiff
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17.3 MiB
Uploaded
June 7, 2015 11:52 PM