FISHING LAUNCH LOST.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19173, 2 December 1927, Page 3

FISHING LAUNCH LOST.

BURNT TO WATER'S EDGE. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, December 1. Burnt to the water's edge, a 26ft fishing launch filled and sank in deep water off Tiritiri. The sole occupant, Mr Jack Sanderson, of Brighton road, Parnell, escaped in a dinghy. The launch left Auckland on Friday for the fishing grounds near Tiri, and everything went well until Tuesday morning,

when engine trouble occurred. With her engine out of order, the launch was helpless, and in this condition was picked up off Tiri and towed to a sheltered position on the northern coast bv the launch Whetu. During the day, Mr Sanderson succeeded in getting the engines running again, and in the evening he made preparations to return to Auckland. About four o'clock yesterday morning,

Mr Sanderson was getting breakfast when a small oil stove exploded, setting the launch on fire. Strenuous efforts were made to put out the blaze, but the flames spread rapidly, and within a quarter of an hour the launch was burning fiercely from stem to stern.. She sank about half an hour after the explosion of the stove. Mr Sanderson lost all his belongings on board, but, with the exception of slight burns on one foot, he escaped injury.