1.
AV STERN OF "BRIDGEWATER" WASHED BY SEA.
0.06

2.
SV CREW MEMBER OF NEPTUNE BOMBER.
0.09

3.
AV BOW OF "BRIDGEWATER"
0.15

4.
AV DITTO.
0.20

5.
SV ENGINE OF NEPTUNE BOMBER
0.22

6.
AV ITALIAN TANKER "ELIOS" APPROACHING.
0.24

7.
AV BOW OF "BRIDGEWATER" PAN TO LIFEBOAT.
0.27

8.
AV LIFEBOAT AND RAFT LEAVING STERN OF "BRIDGEWATER"
0.33

9.
AV LIFEBOAT ALONGSIDE "ELIOS".
0.40

10.
AV STERN OF "BRIDGEWATER" AWASH.
0.44

11.
AV "ELIOS" LEAVES WITH CREW OF "BRIDGEWATER".
0.49



Initials KB/S/WS/PB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A LIBERIAN REGISTERED TANKER, "BRIDGEWATER" WITH 15,000 TONS OF CRUDE OIL ABOARD, SNAPPED IN HALF DURING A STORM 200 MILES OFF THE COAST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, JANUARY 30.

WHEN A NEPTUNE BOMBER OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE REACHED THE SCENE IN ANSWER TO A DISTRESS CALL IT FOUND THE TWO HALVES OF THE SHIP MILES APART, DRIFTING IN A STREAM OF OIL.THE CREW WERE ALL ALIVE, BUT SEVEN WERE STRANDED ON THE BOW SECTION AND TWENTY-FIVE ON THE STERN.

THREE SHIPS RACED TO HELP THE STRICKEN BRIDGEWATER, AMONG THEM THE ITALIAN TANKER, "ELIOS".SHE MADE STRAIGHT FOR THE BOW SECTION WHERE THE SEVEN SURVIVORS WERE HELD TO BE IN GREATEST DANGER.HEAVY SEAS WERE RUNNING BUT ALL THE CREW MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE CAPTAIN, WERE PICKED UP SAFELY.ONLY MAN HURT WAS THE ???CHIEF OFFICER WHO SUFFERED A LEG INJURY.

WHILE THE SURVIVORS WERE BEING TAKEN TO PORT A TUG SET OUT FROM FREMANTLE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING IN THE STERN SECTION OF THE "BRIDGEWATER".