Cornucopia

1938. Laden with bullion being repatriated from Britain’s Asian colonies, Empress Airway’s flying boat Cornucopia succumbs to engine failure, finally ditching in a storm-racked Bay of Bengal. Its cargo is vital for financing England’s crucial military expansion in the face of Hitler’s aggressive European posturing. Hoping for quick salvation, the survivors soon discover they are well off track from Penang to Rangoon. Cornucopia’s loss sparks a frantic search by three parties. Not all are driven by humanitarian considerations. No trace is found. New information suggests a more promising area, out to the west beyond the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Finally, Cornucopia’s broken hull is spotted on a deserted island’s beach. The other rescuers get wind and follow. Savagery, greed, tragic loss, and unexpected love move the story to a final and dramatic dénouement.