The New York Times/1916/11/22/All on Sibiria Saved from Goodwin Sands
ALL ON SIBIRIA SAVED FROM GOODWIN SANDS
Fifty-three Persons Rescued by English Lifeboat After Twenty-four Hours of Peril
DOVER, England, Nov. 21.—The passengers and crew—fifty-three in all—of the American steamer Sibiria, standed on the Goodwin Sands, were landed at Deal today by the Kingsdown lifeboat.
They had a distressing experience during the twenty-four hours they were on the steamer awaiting assistance, in momentary peril of the vessel being engulfed in the treacherous quicksands.
Fruitless efforts were made yesterday by lifeboats from neighboring stations to rescue the passengers. Several men of the lifeboat crews were injured and the boats narrowly escaped destruction.
The Sibiria is still aground.
A violent southeasterly gale drove the ship on the sands, near the spot where the Italian steamship Val Salice, whose crew was rescued yesterday, grounded. Attempts were made all day yesterday by the Deal and Ramsgate lifeboats to rescue those on the Sibiria who were huddled together on the bridge. Two lifeboats were driven back badly damaged.
Last evening volunteers were called for to man the South Downs boat, the only one remaining intact. A British patrol boat towed the lifeboat as near as possible to the Sibiria. The searchlights of the patrol boat were fixed on the stranded ship, showing that all but the bridge had disappeared. While trying to get alongside the steamship the lifeboat was thrown on its side by the heavy sea and filled with water, but righted itself. The fight continued until the rescue was effected.
The lifeboat was again taken in tow by the patrol boat, which brought her to the Downs.