Dear Larry:

   I am happy you have received the pictures so soon (I sent them to you last Week), and that you like it.

   In total there are three men in white suits. One is Mr. Pedro Mederos at that time chief surveyor of Las Palmas Harbor Master Office (Capitania Maritima),   Las Palmas Harbor Master. Other is Mr. Francisco Ribelles, at that time one of the surveyors of the Harbor Master Office, being today surveyor in Algeciras Harbor Masters Office (Gibraltar Strait). The third is myself; I am the one who in some of the pictures is wearing a blue cap of a US War Ship, the "USS Yellowstone".

    The first group, In January, was a few days after the wreck. A representative of the ship-owner came to Las Palmas and chartered our helicopter to go and see the possibilities of a salvage. Then I took pictures from the air and some on shore where we landed, just in front of the wreck. You can see in that picture a person belonging to the navy (the representative of the navy in Fuerteventura), a person in blue uniform but without the white cap, the other, he was the pilot of the helicopter, other person with a rather green suit, the representative of the ship-owner, and also myself wearing blue jeans.

The second set of pictures where taken aboard one month later onboard. The reason was:

After the grounding some people of Fuerteventura went onboard to steal anything they could find. Some of these people found tins containing paints and some other product showing the symbols of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (Flammable, corrosive, etc.), they thought the tins could be radioactive and warned the local authorities. The representative of the Central Government called me very concerned. I could not believe this, as we had information about the ship. However, in order to calm people and avoid problems with the media, I decided to go onboard and inspect the ship.

The helicopter took us onboard, where we spent about five hours visiting all the compartments not flooded, and some other that we estimated dangerous due to the collapse of bulkheads due to the high pressure of the water. As we had supposed there where no radioactive materials or anything really pollutant, apart from some materials used for the construction of the ship (Asbestos, etc) and some tins of paint, dissolvent, etc. in a compartment located in the fore part, just behind the forepeak and chain lockers.

When we did that visit, some people had been onboard before and, I suppose that many thing had been already stolen (small pieces and so on), but most of the furniture and essential objects where still on board. For instance, I remember at least two big and wonderful pianos. The visit will be something that we will never forget, such a wonderful ship, though old and on her way to the scrap yard, with these majestic spaces, the cabins, the bridge, etc. broken by the middle, continuously knocked and shocked by the waves.

   The third set of pictures, which are only two or three, were taken a few months later. For other reasons, I was flying bound to Lanzarote and a professional photographer came with us onboard. I asked the pilot to hover the wreck and the photographer took some pictures. These are the big ones and you can appreciate their quality. 

   When we took these last set of pictures hovering the wreck, some people where on board taking one of the pianos from the ship to shore by mean of a wire and because they got frightened of our presence getting nervous, the piano fell into the sea.

   Later on, in following months, because of the action of the sea and the ship acting as a wall, a beach was formed between the ship and shore, in low water people were able to go on foot to the ship, many of them got on board. But, this place was very dangerous in high tide and some people died. I remember that our search & rescue services had to intervene a few times. But, although I do not remember exactly, I think that at least more than five people died in the wreck trying to leave it when the tide was rising.

   I have a copy of your book, but I sent another one to the Captain of our search and rescue ship which was there during the wreck (Salvage Vessel "Punta Mayor") and, later on, spent a few days running behind the Tug called "Neftegaz 67". He reminds that case very well and, like myself, has enjoyed your book a lot.

Best Regards.

Rafael Pastor Bedoya.                     To the pictures