European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                21 missing 557 saved after cruise ship sinks East London South Africa apr helicopters and ships sunday staged a dramatic Rescue of More than 550 people on a greek cruise liner that Sank in Stormy seas but 21 remained  for military officials said. The South african officials initially indicated that All aboard the liner oceans were believed Safe following the Rescue operation just off the country s Southeast coast. But at Nightfall sunday rescuers were still trying to locate 21 people said South african air Force Brig. Gen. Theo de Nunnink adding that 557 people were confirmed rescued. All or some of the missing people May have been rescued by ships that were in the area but have yet to Contact the military said de Nunnink. The number of people confirmed rescued Rose steadily As ships reported in sunday he said. Air Force planes and helicopters were flying around the sunken ship about a mile offshore to see if anyone was still in the water a search by Navy divers did not turn up anyone officials said. Air Force Chi. Michael Louw said All passengers and Crew who remained on the liner oceans were saved while it was sinking. However there was no official count As to How Many people jumped overboard or got into lifeboats. By noon sunday More than 12 hours after the ship encountered trouble the last Crew members were plucked from the liner. The vessel Sank about 90 minutes later near Coffee Bay off the coast of the Transki Black Homeland according to Indian Ocean cruise ship Rescue aps amps be Nunnink who said 578 people had see ship on Page 2logjam puts giant Pinch on moving by Randy Mcclain financial writer . Military authorities in Germany say they Are grappling with longer than Ever shipping delays to move service members household goods from Europe to the United states this summer and Relief Isnit in sight. The delays Arentt caused by a shortage of ships to carry furniture and other goods across the Atlantic but rather by a shortage of German moving vans and Broad shouldered workers who can show up at serv ice members doorsteps to Start loading family belongings. A right now its chaos Here. That a what it is a said one military transportation supervisor in Central Germany. A everyone is Shook  overseas moves usually scheduled in four to six weeks Are now taking longer than two months to schedule in several military communities. Overtaxed moving companies Are asking employees to work nights and weekends to pick up household goods and transport them to ports for stateside shipment. Military officials say More German movers Are needed to relieve a growing backlog. The delays threaten to extend the time it takes to pull thousands of . Troops out of Europe and could complicate some base closings. At Hahn a for example original plans called for the 50th tac fighter Wing to be disbanded by sept. 30, but the bases transportation chief said All household goods cannot be moved by then. A we can to do it by sept. 30. We Hope to do it by Quot a. A amps Lynda Davidson a glut of military personnel moving Back to the states Means overtime for Many German workers. The end of the year a said chief master sgt. Charles Mcsparren traffic management officer. In addition to Hahn a areas hardest hit by transportation delays include the Frankfurt and Kaiserslautern areas Niernberg Stuttgart Wurzburg Rhein main a the Wiesbaden area and bad or Cugnach All in Germany. Shipping problems appear More severe for the army than the air Force although both branches of the service admit they Are concerned that the situation could get worse in the next few weeks. The Navy is reporting no delays moving sailors household goods from Europe to the United slates. Master sgt. Jorge Leon traffic management superintendent with . Air forces in Europe said the household goods logjam is complicated by the fact that the army and air Force must share the limited number of German moving companies that work with military shipments. An increased Effort Over the last few Days to recruit More moving companies to Hel see logjam on Page 3 . Demands Bonn pay civilians Story says Bonn Germany apr Washington May Start firing German civilian workers at . Military bases if the Bonn government refuses to take Over the Burden of paying them a Magazine reported sunday. Der Spiegel a Hamburg based news Magazine did not reveal its sources for the information. The Magazine said a the american ideas is that if the German government wants its citizens to keep their jobs at . Bases it a will have to pay the salaries  a otherwise the .a. Would permanently let go All German civilian employees a the Magazine said. Der Spiegel claimed the United states will Lay off 10,000 German civilians within the coming months if it does not soon receive an answer from Bonn officials about assuming responsibility for the payroll. The United states is cutting its troop Levels across Europe so far fewer civilian employees will be needed. An estimated 49,200 germans work for the . Military in Germany. A . Embassy spokesman in Bonn said a we can to make a formal comment because we have not yet seen the Spiegel report. However it is very Early in the troop draw Down process and it is premature to cite any specific  he made the comment on condition of anonymity. The spokesman also pointed out that in recent weeks German slate governments. Have praised a the concern and consultations that the americans have made in managing the initial phases of the draw Down. A talks have been under Way Between . And German officials Over mitigating the effects of the troop reductions