DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 89, 3 February 1947, Page 5

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

TWO CHILDREN DROWN BROTHERS LOST AT OHOPE The loss of two young lives by drowning cast a gloom over Ohope community yesterday when in the course of the noreasterly weather James and Brian O’Sullivan, aged 10 and 9 years respectively, sdns of Mr and Mrs George A. O’Sullivan, of 21 Trinity Avenue, Lower Hutt,-were swept out to sea and up till the time of writing have not been seen since. A younger sister, Margaret O’Sullivan, aged 8 years also suffiered a narrow escape but was rescued in the nick of time by Mr B. Snell, of Hamilton. The family which had been enjoying a holiday at Ohope, had rented one of the baches at the rear of the tennis courts. Shortly after 10 a.m., the children sought permission to go down to the beach for a paddle. This was given and it is assumed that they were carried into the breakers by the undertow and out •of their depth before their plight was noticed. The weather was fine but a brisk nor-easterly had whipped up the breakers and a fairly powerful sea was running, with a strong swing towards Ohiwa. Little is known of the actual disappearance of the boys, but it is surmised that they were thrown over by an oncoming wave and swept back again with the undertow before they could regain their balance. The only account of any value came from the little girl Margaret O’Sullivan who was seen by Mr Snell who was on his way down to the surf with his surf-ski. He seized the •child as she swept past and lost no time in returning her to the beach where resuscitation efforts were at length successful. She then tearfully told of her brothers plight. A thorough search was made of the immediate vicinity, Mr Swann again patrolling the line of surf and swimmers going out in various •directions. All efforts were unavailing. Police efforts secured a launch which hastened to the spot and patrolled the length of the upper beach. Later in the afternoon a plane from Rotorua continued with an aria! search going as far as Ohiwa Heads and around the Otirawarere :foreshore. A close watch was also maintained from the shore by dozens of volunteers who patrolled the sands until late last evening. The search will be continued today.

The remarkable feature of the -tragedy is that the loss of the two young victims was apparently not noticed by any eyewitnesses on the beach. With . hundreds of holiday makers at Ohope at the present time, it would seem almost an impossibility for" the boys to disappear without someone giving the alarm. Yet this is exactly what did happen—a further for the quick re-establishment of the Surf Club and a closer watch upon the bathers, particularly when a sea is running. Rescuer’s Heroism The highest commendation of Mr B. Snell’s action in not only rescuing the little girl but of his later untiring work in trying to recover the missing boys, is voiced by all Ohope residents in the vicinity. An expert on the surf-ski Mr Snell patrolled the breakers for nearly eight hours after taking the little girl ashore. He only relaxed his efforts' when on the point of exhaustion. This morning he again renewed his efforts and carried the lines from the shore to the Port Whakatane in order to assist in the dragging and netting operations which are now proceeding.