Shipwreck's survivour tells gripping tale

THE true story of a shipwreck and the care of the crew by The Mission to Seafarers feature in the Mission's pack of resources for Sea Sunday on July 8.

Three of the 19 crew of the cement carrier Mariam IV died when it sank off the Yemeni island of Socotra last year. The men died when their life raft overturned, but the others managed to wade ashore on Abd al Kuri island where they followed footprints in the sand to a Yemeni army garrison.

However, the ship's third officer, Lin Zaw Soe from Myanmar, was washed on to rocks and became separated. He survived for four days by licking water from the rocks until fishermen found him.

A week after he was found, the seafarer watched helplessly as a helicopter from a German naval frigate airlifted other crew members
to safety.

Revd Peter Crooks, the Mission's Aden chaplain, told the dramatic story at Christ Church, the Mission centre in Aden, where he had comforted all the survivors and also bought them new
clothing. The chief officer telephoned his wife in Myanmar from the centre.

"He had not seen his family for 14 months but was as cool as a cucumber as he talked to his wife. We were more overcome than he was," said Peter.

To obtain the free pack of resources to help plan services, contact the mission on 020 7248 5202
Packs may be downloaded from the society website www.missiontoseafarers.org

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