Two Fishermen Missing In Dinghy

Chronicle (Levin), 21 March 1949, Page 5

Two Fishermen Missing In Dinghy

WELLINGTON, March 20. Caught in a strong north-easteriy gale, two fishermen from Taita (Lower Hutt) who went out at 5 p.m. on Saturday in a dinghy with an outboard motor off the coast from Te Avvaite, 30 miles north of Cape Palliser Lighthouse, are missing, believed drowned. They are: LESLIE JOHN WITHERS, aged 47 years, married, with three children. ERNIE WEHRLE, aged aliout 15, • married, with three children. The men were caught in a gale, reportediiy the Cape Palliser Lighthouse to have "reached a velocity of 05 miles. an hour. Aerial and coastal searches were made today, but no Lraee of the men or the dinghy has been found. District poliee are patrolling the coast and Mosquito aircraft -will eontinue their search tomorrow morning. Accompanied by Mr. Withers ' nine-year-old son Michael the two men went to Wairarapa on Friday and were camping in a tent near the shore and about two miles from Te Awaiti sheep station near the mouth of the Oterei River. The boy became concerned at their non-return as the morning wore on, and made his way tp the sheep station where the manager (Mr. V. A. Sheridan) telephoned the Martinborough police. Yesterday afternoon aircraft from Ohakea carried out a search over the areg in which the men are believe.d'"to be missing. Flying couditions yj-gre extremely difficult and uie SSai-chers met with no success 'b.Ufmanding Officer of the stat up-Oaptain A. E. Clouston. -t.c.t*-; yesterday that seven Mosquit.^ rcraft from the station would eontinue the search today. It is C0lisidered that if the boat is still afioat it will be miles out to sea by this time.