פורום צלילה טכנית ב ישראל | קורס צלילה טכנית | מערכות סגורות צלילה בים תיכון | The Israel Technical Diving Forum

The British S.S. Bilbeis, carrying a crewof fifty-six and eight passengers, stranded off Jaffa at about 5:45 a.m. on thefifth of March in 1934, when there was a moderate breeze accompanied by amoderate swell, and a dust haze over the coast. Shortly after the stranding,the wind increased considerably and the sea rose rapidly. It seemed likely thatthe conditions would get worse. In view of the threatening weather the Masterarranged for the passengers and the stewardess to be taken ashore by a Governmentlaunch. By 10:30 a.m., a strong westerly gale was blowing and the Masterdecided to land some of his crew by means of the ship's lifeboats. The firstboat, under the charge of the Second Officer, successfully negotiated the surf,and her occupants, aided by local boatmen, landed safely. An attempt was madeto send back some of the crew who had landed so that they might help todisembark the remainder of the crew, but the attempt failed; the boat wasswamped, overturned, and smashed up by the heavy surf against the rocks,fortunately without loss of life. At about 11:40 a.m. a second boat waslaunched from the Bilbeis under charge of the Third Officer, but this boat wasnot as successful as the first, and one member of her crew, while endeavoringto get ashore, was carried away by the seas. Ahmad Bajawi, a local boatman,courageously swam out to the rescue, but he himself got into difficulties.Muhammad Dababish, a lighter man, then gallantly swam out to the rescue of thetwo men who were in danger, and after great difficulty succeeded inbringing them to shore with the aid of a life-buoy flung to him.