A PAINFUL DEATH OF CAPTAIN VOORSPUITY AND 83 PASSENGERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE SAILING OF THE DUTCH SHIP FROM THE WEST INDIES TO AMSTERDAM.
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A PAINFUL DEATH OF CAPTAIN VOORSPUITY AND 83 PASSENGERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE SAILING OF THE DUTCH SHIP FROM THE WEST INDIES TO AMSTERDAM.
The Dutch ship Simon Bolivar hits an ‘un-notified’ mine in the North Sea, killing 80.
Built in 1927 the Dutch passenger ship of 8,309 tons could carry 238 passengers in three classes and sailed the Hamburg-Central America route.
Owned by the Royal Netherlands Steamship Company, she was en route to the West Indies from Amsterdam when she struck a magnetic mine at 12.30 pm on the 18th November 1939 about twenty-five miles from Harwich.
Captain Voorspuity and 83 passengers lost their lives. Passing ships picked up survivors and took them either to Harwich or London.
People were playing games on deck when a terrific explosion hit the Simon Bolivar under the bridge. Captain Voorspuity was killed instantly.
The liner’s oil pipes burst and the ship listed heavily, making it difficult to lower the boats.
Many passengers swarmed down the ropes or jumped over the side
A Sister of Charity nun was rescued clinging to a piece of driftwood.
One British passenger, Sydney Preece of Maidenhead, put his three year old daughter in a wooden box and swam with it through the oil-covered icy water for nearly an hour.
The Simon Bolivar then plunged to the bottom but so shallow was the water where she sunk that the tops of the masts and funnels remained above water.
On shore a clearing station was established and local railway ambulances were called upon as well as all available first aiders from the a.r.p services in readiness for the arrival of the survivors as ambulances whisked the injured as they were landed to the Harwich and District Hospital.
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