TWO BOYS BELIEVED DROWNED

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1947, Page 3

TWO BOYS BELIEVED DROWNED

AUCKLAND, Ja'n. 6. Two boys are believed to have been drownod , from a dinghy which was observed in difficulties and was later found upturnod oif Eastern Beach this afternoon. An intensive seareh was conducted by sea and air and the ncighbouring coast was combed in the evening for sigus- of the bodies, but no trace had been found late tonight. The misslng boys are: Rex Newcombe llodge, agod 14, son of Mr. Frank Hodge, of Otahuhu. Neville Arthur Bishop, {iged 15, sonj of Mr. Thomas HenTy Bishop, ofj Otahuhu. . •• >'?:;• /T ! The boys were fcamping' With "their1 parents at Eastern Beach and hired a clinlccr-built dinghy at 2 p.m. Some time before 3 p.m. they were seen by Mr. C. K. Turnbull, chemist, of One " hunga, apparently in diMculties about half a mile out to sea and trying to row toward the slipre against a stiff ■ southwesterly breejje. He went to look for a dinghy to go out'to their assistanee but when he next looked up the boys and their dinghy had disappeared. A search. was organised by all the available boats on the beach and in the meantime the Musipk Point radio station was advised and asked to obtain further assistanee. As a result a new police launek and the -New Zealand Coastguard launch were on their way to the seene before 4 p.pi. and they were followed by the air sea rescue Catalina llyingboat. Intensive searehes were made of the area and the oveTI turned dinghy was taken in tow by the police launch, but no trace of the missing boys was discoveredc