PASSENGER FALLS OFF LINER INTO HARBOUR

Chronicle (Levin), 7 November 1947, Page 3

PASSENGER FALLS OFF LINER INTO HARBOUR

■ s Press Association) ; ,

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AUCKLAND, Nov. 6. Undcen by auvbody aboard the sliip, a young Australiaa traveller in the Matson Line steanier Alarine Phoenix fcll overboard ivhen the' ship "vvas steaming out of port late this afternoon for Sydney, and wa§- left struggling in her wake. The passenger, who said he was Malcolm Boyle, of Woilongong, South of Sydney, was in the water for K) niinuLes before being picked up by the vehicular ferry George Peat in a f airly exhausted con- 1 dition. Boyle said tliat after working at Wasliington as a inechanical engineer, he was returning from San Franci.se o by the Marine Phoenix to be horne for Christmas. Clad in a sliirt and shorts he was sitting on the rail of the aftordeck on the port side of the ship when he fcll over. "I rnust have landed f airly flal because I did not go deep in the water and I was on the surface before the ship had gone past, " he said. " In case I might be ,st ruck by the screw 1 Btruggled clear and shouted out but apparently niy voice could not be heard above the wind. I was the only passenger on that deck, which had been newly painted, and it seemed ihat no one saw niy fall as the ship continued on its way. 5 ' At first ..Boyle attempted to reach the steamer Northumberland at anchor in

the stream about 600 yards away but he could niake no progress against the outgoing tide. He then saw the vehicular ferry George Peat headed in his direetion and he waved and attracted attention aboard. The master of the ferry, Captain L. Ghaplin, saw Boyle about 700 yards away when the ferry was steaming from Mechanics Bay to Devonport. When the ferry closed on Boyle a lifebelt was thrown out and the man was hauled aboard.