HC Deb 11 April 1961 vol 638 cc33-5
Mr. Strauss (by Private Notice)

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement about the sinking of the British cargo liner "Dara".

The Minister of Transport (Mr. Ernest Marples)

I am informed that the British India Steam Navigation Company's motor vessel "Dara", of 5,030 gross tons, was anchored in the Port of Dubai on Friday evening, 7th April, when she was struck by another vessel which had dragged anchor. As the weather was deteriorating, the master decided to put to sea, intending to return in the morning. A total of 770 persons, including 132 members of the crew, are known to have been on board.

Early on Saturday morning an S.O.S. was sent reporting the outbreak of fire and the ship was abandoned at about 6.30 a.m. when about 40 miles from the shore. An Army tank landing craft, a number of ships of the Royal Navy and several British and foreign merchant ships proceeded to the scene and picked up survivors. Five hundred and eighty persons were saved, but it is feared that the 190 who are missing, including 30 members of the crew, have lost their lives.

After the ship had been abandoned fire-fighting operations were undertaken from alongside the vessel in difficult conditions by three Royal Navy Frigates. She was taken in tow, but finally sank on Monday morning about 5 miles off the coast before she could be beached.

I have ordered a formal investigation, which will be held in public, into the tragic circumstances attending the loss of this ship. The necessary preliminary inquiries are already in hand.

The House will wish me to express its deep sympathy with the relatives of those who have lost their lives and with the injured, and also to pay tribute to the efforts of all those who took part in rescue operations, without which the loss of life would undoubtedly have been even more serious.

Mr. Strauss

I am sure that every hon. Member in the House will wish to associate himself with the Minister's expression of sympathy with the relatives of those who have lost their lives, and with the injured. Could the right hon. Gentleman answer two questions? First, where will the inquiry be held? It has been suggested in the Press, I think this morning, that it will be held in Bombay. Is that true, or will the final hearing be held in this country?

Secondly, could the Minister make some inquiries into a certain aspect of this sinking? According to the very moving report in The Times this morning, the treatment of the survivors who were landed at Bahrain was truly shocking. One wonders whether our British representative there was not able to take any action, or whether he did not take such action as he could have taken to look after these people.

Mr. Marples

I will certainly make inquiries into the second part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question.

A surveyor from my Ministry left for Bahrain this morning to commence preliminary inquiries, and the Indian Government have offered all assistance in the inquiries. I shall wait till I hear from my surveyor before deciding where the inquiry will be held.

Mr. Shinwell

Will the inquiry take account of a statement in the Press—as far as one can gather, quite a reputable statement—that the passenger accommodation was overcrowded? This was a vessel of only 5,000 tons and, because of the overcrowding of the ordinary passenger accommodation, nearly 200 passengers were afforded deck accommodation. Is not that in defiance of Board of Trade regulations?

Mr. Marples

That will, of course, be taken into account in the inquiry, but it should be remembered that this particular ship was permitted, under the Simla Rules of 1931, to carry unberthed passengers as well as berthed passengers, and that she had a safety certificate from the Indian Government; but, naturally, the inquiry will take account of what she was permitted to do and what she actually did.