ACCIDENT IN LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14982, 1 June 1914, Page 10

ACCIDENT IN LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

'•- « . THE YACHT KIWI SUNK. A YOUNG MAN'S NARROW j ESCAPE. | At about 4.30 yesterday afternoon the yacht Kiwi, containing three young men, named Clarence -rumour, Janes R. Anderson, and Alexander McCormack, sank in the Lyttelton Harbour. Tho Kiwi carried a centre-plate, was about eighteen feet in' length, and was owned by McCormack. Immediately the accident was observed flags were run up at,the signal station, but, before a launch could bo despatched from the Port, tho men wero picked up by a. ooat from k_o schooner Eliza Firth, which was lying in the stream, the mate fortunately seeing tho occurrence from tho deck, and sending assistance. The steam launch Canterbury came alongside-" a few minutes later, and cook tho party to Lyttelton, resuscitative measures being adopted with Gilmour, who was in a very weak state until given attention at. the Harbour Jboaid's sheltershed. Dr." Nevvell was called, but ins services wero not required, and Gilmour "'was able shortly afterwards to proceed to his home in a cab. Speaking to a representative of "The Press' a few minutes after tho launch reached, Lyttelton, Anderson stated that at the time of the mishap he was in charge of the yacht, which, was returning from Diamond Harbour, whither the party had gone earlier in I the day. When about naif-way across to Lyttelton a sudden gust of wind from the north-west struck tho little vessel, blowing the jib into ribbons, and upsetting her. The __iwi sank almost immediately, and the tnree men wore left struggling in the water. Anderson and McCormack, being strong swimmers, were able to keep afloat without difficulty, although hampered by their clothes and boots, and Gilmour, who was not so good a swimmer as the others, managed to clutch a floorboard from the yacht. Re kept himself afloat for nearly a quarter of an hour, wheu his strength.failing him, ho lost tho plank, and, throwing up his arms, said "Good-bye, I'm gone." 'mo floor-board, however, was recovered for him by Anderson, and Gilmour was able to cling to it just long enough to be rescued by the crew from the Eliza Firth, but for whom he would undoubtedly havo been drowned. As it was, he collapsed on being lifted ont of the water. Credit is due to the mate and crew < from the schooner for gett ; ng to he : Bceno with such promptitude. had a long, tiring row, and when they j had accomplished tho journey the men ; had been in the water for about twenty ' minutes. ' ' The particular part of the harbour ] in which the yacht sank is of consider- i j-be H o r>tV an: i ,-f i t i s re « o -_. a+ _ v i it will not be without much difficulty ]