Man Drowned When Caught In Rip

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31198, 24 October 1966, Page 1

Man Drowned When Caught In Rip

A man was swept to his death in a strong rip near Shag Rock on Saturday afternoon. He had attempted to rescue his sister-in-law who had got into difficulties.

The rip was caused by the rush of water from the estuary on an outgoing tide. He was John Douglas Millington, aged 29, a male nurse at the R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Wigram, married, of 142 Waterloo road, Sockburn. His body, which is believed to have been swept some distance out to sea, has not been recovered. Mr Millington and his sis-ter-in-law, Mary Weaver, aged about 15, who also lives at 142 Waterloo road, were swimming near Shag rock just after 2 p.m. when Miss Weaver got into difficulties. Mr Millington went to her assistance. The two swimmers got into the channel and were swept by the tidal rip towards the sea. A member of the Sumner Surf Club, Mr M. S. Couzins, of 134 Brookside terrace, was sitting in his swimming costume in front of the clubhouse when he was told that two persons were in difficulties.

He ran along the beach and dived into the water. He got Miss Weaver ashore, but when he returned Mr Millington had disappeared. Mr Couzins used a surf ski to try to find Mr Millington. When he was unsuccessful, other members of the surf club were contacted and a search was made. The Sumner lifeboat, a speedboat and surfers searched the area. An aircraft from Wigram flew over the area.

There was a large crowd at the beach on Saturday, which was the hottest day since last summer. The waves were choppy as the tide went out. Persons with binoculars scanned the sea in the hope of sighting the missing man. Both Constable W. A. Cromie, of Sumner, and Mr P. G. Sutherland, club captain of the Sumner Surf Club, said it was extremely dangerous to swim in the vicinity of Shag rock near the mouth of the estuary. Constable Cromie said yesterday that the area had been the scene of more than one tragedy and that the beach

was safe in front of the surf club building. From fairly shallow water the beach shelved down suddenly into the channel which flowed very swiftly after the tide had turned and the estuary was emptying.

Surf patrols will begin next Saturday. Mr Millington played for the Shamrock senior team in the Canterbury soccer competitions. He was a prolific goal scorer and a valuable member of the side.