British Vessel Sunk off U.S. by Italian Sub

Miami, April 6 (U.P.) – The captain of a medium-size British merchant vessel, torpedoes off the Atlantic coast, said today that the submarine which sank his ship was “of the larger class of Italian submarines.”

The captain, V.J. Egerton, said that the submarine surfaced after the crew had taken to the lifeboats and “the sub commander hollered to us and asked in everything was all right. He also asked if we wanted anything. Then he waved good-by.”

Egerton and 50 crew members were landed at Nassau and later were brought to Miami. They drifted in six lifeboats for 42 hours before being picked up by a Dutch vessel. The torpedoing occurred in the daytime on March 13. One one man was lost, Thomas Jon…., seaman, who apparently died of a heart attack shortly after the torpedoing.

The senior wireless operator of the vessel, AnthonyWilliam Coy, 2`, of London said the sinking marked the sixth time his ship had been blown from under him. Cox participated in the evacuation at Dunkirk, and said he was ready fo another assignment to sea duty.

“The sub captain was a pretty decent chap”, the wireless operator said. “He fired only one torpedo. And then waited for us to leave the ship before finishing her off with shells from a deck gun”.”

Capt. Egerton said he was sure the submarine was Italian. He said there were about 20 men on its deck and that it flew the Italian flag.