European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Mass. . R to Conn. They fought the sea for the Andrea Doria and Tost by Ken Cafare. United press International he sea South of Nantucket is mean water. It is driven by Swift cold currents lashed by vicious storms and shrouded by dangerous fogs. It has claimed hundreds of ships and untold lives. Fishing boats vanish in raging nor easters. Huge Oil tankers sometimes for no readily apparent reason go under with hardly a Trace. Vessels of All Potzes and shapes come to grief on hidden saw toothed reefs. Once the North Atlantic claims a ship it guards the re Mains jealously. The huge panamanian Oil Tanker grand Zenith was mysteriously lost South of Nova Scotia with 32 crewmen and 8.2 million Gallons of Oil aboard. All that was Ever i found were a few life jackets and some debris. That was Kin january 1977. But authorities still have Little idea of what happened. Even when the hulks can be located it is virtually impossible to Salvage them. The water is too deep and murky the currents too fast the temperature too cold and the Ocean s inhabitants too threatening. Of All the ships lost off the coast of new England the most famous and intriguing is the 29,083-ton Andrea Doria once rated among the most luxurious cruise ship sin the world. As Many of its 1,600 passengers celebrated a last. Night out party late on july 26, 1956, the 700-foot flagship of the italian merchant Marine was inexplicably rammed by the swedish liner Stockholm in heavy fog. Maritime authorities still offer no theory As to Why the sophisticated radar systems on both ships failed to pro vide adequate warnings. Also unexplained is Why the Stockholm equipped witha reinforced Bow for icebreaking purposes was Miles off course or Why the Doria veered directly broadside the swedish liner minutes before the collision. The Andrea Doria the world s the Stockholm ripped a 45-foot Gash through the Dona s 11 decks and less than 12 hours i unsinkable passenger ship slipped beneath t face. The Well coordinated Rescue saved More i _ passengers. Only 50 lives were lost in the disaster since then the Doria has become the i rious and challenging wreck in the world. 1 it. Everest for Salvage divers. But i great Mountain it remains unconquered. The fifth anniversary recently passed of the i end of the last and most elaborate attempt to t estimated $2 million in currency jewels l other artefacts believed still aboard the ship. On a Cool evening aug. 17,1973, three tired i led sex Navy frogman stood in the Glare of i lights on a Dock in Fairhaven mass., and Trie. Their disappointment after a 26-Day attempt Thiis the riches from the rotting liner. Chris Delucchi had two badly Cut hands \ Only tangible Reward. He was injured t through the Andria Doria Side. Don 1an ear infection a by product of spending 11 200 feet under the busiest shipping lanes in the 1 Bob Hollis was unhurt but exhausted. The three used a new diving technique Kejr i would overcome the time limitations 1 other Salvage attempts. Divert in other to. Because of the necessity to decompress i about is minutes on the Bottom each trip wreck. Delucchi Rodocker and Hollis lived in a 1 Gray steel drum attached to the Doria for a i ing a special mixture of oxygen and helium. L them to work on the wreck eight hours a Day. To but the great ship allowed them almost no spite their assertions the attempt had been to successful because they had proven their diving technique worked. They spent $250,000 and their Booty Silver chafing dish top a perfume bottle and i Ware. They hoped to recoup their losses with from a film of the expedition. i was standing probably within 20 feet of 1 Safe should have been and there was just no Rodocker. The Doria settled on the Bottom resting i Board Side. The solid steel decks had becom Heads. The comparatively Flimsy wooden l decayed by 17 years of submersion were now is they Hung delicately suspended in the the ship s Interior balanced by a few Ejet-.,. The least disturbance like a diver s air could bring All of it crashing Down it was a death Iran Eiri .1diver. A deat trap said John Clark 1 water boiled around her and unused lifeboats broke Loose in the Doria s final seconds Page 14 the stars and stripes i would t recommend it to any diver
