GIRL KILLED BY SHARK

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 1

GIRL KILLED BY SHARK

Surfboard Rider’s Rescue Bid Fails

New Zealand Press Association

NEW PLYMOUTH, January 9.

A shark attacked, mutilated and killed a 14-year-old New Plymouth schoolgirl 100 yards offshore at Oakura Beach, 10 miles from New Plymouth, at 3.25 p.m. on Saturday.

Blood stained the water for 10 feet around the dying girl as a # 19-year-old New Plymouth surfboard rider, Anthony Eric Johns, risked his life to go to the girl's assistance.

The girl was Rae Marion Keightley. the only daughter of Mr and Mrs L. J. Keightley, of Coronation avenue, New Plymouth.

Two New Plymouth doctors reached the girl seconds after her mauled body reached the beach on Mr Johns’s surfboard.

One of her legs w.: savaged to the bone at the thigh and calf, and the other tZts tom at the ankle. Dr. G. E. Walker, of New Plymouth, who had been swimming nearby, bound the leg and tried to revive the girl.

He said later that b: had probably died while being brought in. Bleeding had stopped when she reached the beach.

The girl’s parents who were on the beach, reached her side as she was b -ought ashore.

Mr Johns said he saw the turmoil in the water as the shark attacked, but at first thought the girl was only playing. He and two friends had been surfing within 40

yards of the girl for 20 minutes before the incident. One of the surfers spotted the attack and yelled a warning before heading for the beach with the other rider, leaving only Mr Johns in the vicinity.

“She was about 40 yards away when I realised I was alone. I suppose I jurt automatically turned to go across to Rae,” he said. “When I heard the screams and saw the blood-stain on the water—and I was scared then.

“I guess I knew someone had to help her —there was only me.

“She talked to me at first. She kept saying over an - ’ over !‘Oh please help me, help me.’ I “I dragged her on to my ’ surfboard and was lucky enough to catch two good [waves to bring me into sb.al’low water. It wasn't till them [as ! began to feel a little better that I realised how [frightened I had been. | “As I was going across to Rae I saw a grey shadow in the w-ater pass under me. 1 had started out and didn’t stop to think that what I was doing could have put my own life in danger. “She was keeping herself afloat somehow when I reached her, treading water somehow I suppose. “I suppose I was lucky—

I didn't have any trouble gelItins her on the board. I “When I saw her on the ; beach it was terrible —I never want to see anything like it again,” he said

('aught In Rip Earlier on Saturday at Oakura Beach three children on lilos and a middle-aged man had been rescued from a rip by New Plymouth Old Boys’ Surf Club members. The man and two of the ■children, from Pukerua Bay. Wellington, were on holiday at the beach. The third boy I was just visiting. The surfers saw the four get into difficulties in a sudden rip, 400 yards away from the flagged, patrolled area of the beach, about 3 p.m. The man was dragged out more than 100 yards and was weak and exhausted when the beltman, one of the club’s senior swimmers, reached him.

The beltman supported the man and one of the boys and his support swimmers brought in the other two boys on lilos. None of the rescued required resuscitation or medical attention, although a club spokesman said the man was “rather sick and badly shocked." “The amazing thing about this is that no-one saw the shark or any sign of it before or after it attacked. There just didn’t appear to be any fin.” a well-known Oakura surfer. Mr Peter Mac. said on Saturday. “There appeared to be no doubt it was a shark from the nature of the wound.” he said.

Dr. G. E. Walker, of New Plymouth, said teeth-marks from a shark had been obvious in the bone of the girl’s leg.