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Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1948, Page 3

WELLINGTON, Oet. 20.' Partly buried in the sand and full of water, the 30 feet diesel launch Wave which was reported n;issing on Tuesday night was sighted by an Auster aircraft about 3.30 this afternoon. The lights were still burning but there was no sign of the owner, M1'- B. Heal, the sole occupant of the launch when it left Island Bay on Tuesday. It was found on the beach- between the entrance to Lake Grassmere and Cape Campbell. A party of police under Senior SSergeant Smythe, has been sent from Blenheim and the'y will endeavour to pull the launch out of the sand with bulldozers. . A systematic search was carried out by the air-sea rescue — three Mosquitos, a Catalina and an Auster. The search eovered about 6000 square miles, being from Mana Island, Porirua, to East Honey Comb Rock which is northeast of Cape Palliser and to Cape Campbell in the South Island. There was also a coastal search. The Auster aircraft which sighted the launch was from eominunications fiight, Rongotai. Mr. Heal left Island Bay in the Wave about .11.30 Tuesday morning to set fishing nets in the Vicinity of the Karori Light. There were strong northerly winds during Tuesday night with gusts reaching 60 m.p.b. shortly after 8 p.m. Later they dropped to 40 m.p.h. and remained at that force throughout today. Mr. Heal was an experienced launchman and had made the trip several times. '