1.
LV Burning ship
0.05

2.
Over ship showing flames from stern
0.18

3.
From stern to bow - smoke rising
0.26

4.
LV Burning ship
0.34

5.
Smoke pall -- stern to bow
0.45

6.
LV Ship listing
0.50

7.
LV Smoke pall from ship
0.54



Initials CM/JF/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The fire-ravaged Philippines freighter Don Jose Figueras was abandoned on Saturday (22 August) in the Pacific Ocean 900 miles north-west of San Francisco, with all its 40 crew and two passengers safely rescued.

The captain and five officers who stayed aboard till the last left the smoking hulk after a fruitless fire-fighting vigil.

They were picked up by a Japanese vessel which had rescued the 34 other crew members and two crew members and two passengers some six hours earlier.

The Don Jose was still afloat when it was finally abandoned, but was listing badly with fires burning in her holds, and water pouring through a crack in the hull, U.S. coastguards in San Francisco reported.

The last message received from the captain before he abandoned the stricken ship said "The ship is sinking now....we'll stay here until the last".

The fire broke out on Friday night, and the captain ordered the bulk of the crew and the passengers to take to the life-boats when it blazed out of control next day.

He and five others stayed on board for another six hours before abandoning ship.

Reports from coastguards on the 24th August said that the Don Jose Figueras was still afloat.