Ocean drama

Comprehension
The media
Ocean drama
The stricken luxury cruise liner Oceanos, several kilometres off the Transkei coast, near
Coffee Bay
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The biggest-ever sea rescue drama in South African
maritime history - involving nearly 600 people was launched early yesterday following a distress
call from the stricken luxury cruise liner Oceanos.
After floundering in heavy seas three kilometers off
the Transkei coast near Coffee Bay, she eventually
disappeared beneath the waves at 1.30 p.m.
Last night, twenty-one people remained
unaccounted for, said Major Gerrie Everts of the
Air Force co-ordination centre in Cape Town. This
figure could not be confirmed, as merchant ships
with people plucked from the seven-metre seas had
not yet reached the harbour. Rescuers saved 543
survivors.
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One of the first aircraft on the scene was a Hercules
C-130 from 28 Squadron in East London, which
arrived at 3.45 a.m. At 7 a.m. Captain Avranasi
ordered all passengers to abandon ship.
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Fortyfour passengers were taken aboard the
Nedloyd Mauritius, which made for Port Elizabeth,
while 11 crew and three passengers were taken on
the Reefer Duchess and Anik, both of which headed
for Durban. The first vessel made port at 5 p.m.
According to Captain John Avranasi, master of the
Oceanos, the ship radioed its first distress call at 10
p.m. on Saturday as the vessel wallowed in heavy
seas with 581 people aboard - 402 passengers and
179 crew - following a power failure.
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After a few hours the crew realised their attempts to
prevent complete flooding of the ship were in vain.
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The Great Nancy, carrying 144 survivors, and
Kazuby II, with 106 people rescued, were expected
in Durban at 3.30 a.m. and 5 a.m. today. More
survivors were thought to be on the Vadar, whose
position was unknown as no radio contact had been
established.
Air Force Base Durban sent four Puma and two
Alouette helicopters, which reached the listing
vessel by first light. From daybreak, helicopters
winched people off the stern deck of the Oceanos,
as well as from the liner’s lifeboats and the sea - an
exercise made particularly difficult by the wind.
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Questions
1. Finding the details
a. Near which coastal town did the Oceanos sink?
b. How many passengers were on board the liner?
c. When did the captain send the first distress call?
d. What was the main problem on board the Oceanos?
e. How many ships helped to rescue the survivors of the disaster?
f. Name three ways in which the people on board the Oceanos were rescued.
(6)
2. Read between the lines
a. Why was this sea rescue story particularly important?
b. What do you understand by the term “seven-metre seas” in line 12?
c. What did the crew of the ship try to do in an attempt to save the ship? Why were
they unsuccessful?
d. Why could the helicopter crew not begin their rescue attempt earlier?
e. What were some of the dangers facing the rescuers?
(5)
3. Context clues: Choose the correct word for those in brackets
a. The word “maritime” in line 2 describes something connected with (history, the sea,
time, the weather).
b. “Wallowed” in line 17 means (sank, rolled, sailed, capsized).
c. “Listing” in line 38 means (flooding, sailing, leaking, leaning).
(3)
Total: [14]
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