BOATING DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 789, 12 April 1910, Page 5

BOATING DISASTER.

THE WANGANUI FATALITY. FURTHER PARTICULARS. POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING. (By Teleßrapn-Stieoiiil: OorrosDonaent.l ■ : '~ Wanganui, April 11. Further particulars of. the distressing boating fatality, by. which eight persons lost their lives in the Wanganui River on Sunday afternoon, show that a party of sixteen, comprising the ' families of Mr. Walter ludlam and Mr.- George Anderson,'had-determined to spend the afternoon on tho South. Spit beach. To do this it was necessary to cross tho river from their homes at Abbott Station, halfway between tho town and Castkcliff. A boat of the "flattie" typo was used to ferry the party across, but as it was not able to accommodate all. at once it was decided to make two trips. A strong wind was blowing up'.tho river, and meeting the falling tide raised a nasty, choppy sea. Nevertheless, the first trip was safely made, six of tho party being landed on the South Spit. James Ludlam and his half-brother,' Bobti Jenkins, then rowed back for the remainder. _ The boat .was heavily loaded for the second trip, carrying ten persons. The tide by this time (about 12.30 p.m.) was lunniiig. outward more. strongly, and tho aea, under tho influence of a strong upriver wind, had considerably increased. The boat successfully negotiated.-. the water over the snnd-flats which reach half-way across, but as soon as it tt&ohed the deep water of the sailing channel the difficulties commenced. . The boat with such a load sat very low in the water, and the big waves': every minute threatened to. swamp it. This alarmed the party, so much that it was decided-to-return, and the boafs head was pulled round. Swamped and SunL When the boat half turned, a large wave rose over it, and fell right aboard, swamping and sinking it immediately, and in a moment the whole of the occupants were struggling in the water. Most of those in the boat must have j sunk almost at once, and as all were close together it is thought probable that some must have clung to others -ind prevented them coming to the surface.The boat did not overturn, and when freed of its load rose again, but in a swamped condition. . : ■ ' The only ones aHe to regain the craft were .Robert Jenkins and David Anderson (8 years), who, with the waves breaking over them, clung desperately to the boafs sides. • : ■' ' „ . Had the accident happened on a nne day, help would probably have soon been available, for at snch a time there are generally a fair number oi launches, yachts, and rowing boats in tho lower river. The day, however, was not suthciently fine to tempt boating j men out, and most of the launches had gone up the river. The wide reach, thereJoro, was quite deserted, and tho plight of tho two clinging to the boat must have seemed, hopeless. ~ Mr. Anderson; who had gone across the river earlier in the day, was on the top of Land-guard Bluff just before the accident, and, anticipating trouble, went down the hill and borrowed -a -boat, in which ho-went out to meet the ill-fated, party: but the latter met their fate as ho was still pulling frantically to them, and ho waspowerlcss to do anything to. save ; em ' A' Fisherman to the Rescue.-, ~, A-fisherman named Mantle, whose hut is on the South, Spit, had also noticed tho boat, and, -'believing it would_neea assistance, got his own boat;ready. When the accident happened ho at once.-got afloat and, single-handed, .pulled out across the choppy water to where the two boys were'drifting, and got them S i ely mome a nf later Mantle noticed Mrs. Ludlam -floating a short distance, away. He at once!rowed to the spot, where he found the unfortunate lady was clasping Ernest Anderson (three years old) tightly in her arms. They had then been about ten minutes in the water, and showed no signs of life: Mantle and Jenkins, however, sat to work in tho endeavour to resuscitate them, ibut without avail; and then finding'their efforts, had no result, rat out the oars and pulled their sad freight back to the Abbott side of the river. ' • - Of the , remainder of i the party, they could find no trace, and all they could see was the fast-rnnning tide carrying the swamped boat- rapidly towards the entrance of the - river, '. ' -, . It was impossible at the I time to commence dragging operations '• for the recovery of the bodies. Mantle, who knows the river well, pointed out,that the fast running tide would carry the bodies down the river, and probably wash them up on the sea beach'off the-South Spit. Besides this, the river was too rough for] a' rowing boat, and no launbhes were available. It was determined, therefore, to patrol . the■ South Spit ■ beach, ;and also watoh the river beaches.. - - J ■■■■',;.

-A Body Found. ■ About six o'clook in the evening, when the tide, was out, the body of Walter Ludlani was found on the sandbank. Jenkins states that when last hesaw him he was striking out for the shore supporting his sister, but the effort must have been beyond his powers, and .both were, drowned. . ' : .. Dragging operations started at daybreak this morning,-and the South Spit has , been systematically patrolled,' but without result so far, though it .is hoped to recover 'one: or more of' the bodies in the next few hours.- .' •:'.■.-■' : . It was Mrs. Ludlam's first, outing in.a boat, : and though she had resided, at Abbott for several years, and her family was constantly on tie/ water, she had never previously ventured on the river. The sad affair cast quite a gloom over the town, and many flags were "flying at. half-mast to-day- in sympathy with the victims of the disaster and the bereaved families. ■ ' '■'■■■.

Mantle's exertions did not stop with the r,cscue of Jenkins and David Anderson, and bringing ashore the bodies of Mrs. Ludlam and the little boy. Tha first section of the party, whose state of mind mtiy be imagined, were still left on the South Spit, and Mantle pulled across the angry river to bring them back in his boat, making two separate trips to do so. Great credit is given to Mantle for his plucky and strenuous eflorts.

No more bodies of the victims of the drowning tfagedy have been discovered, though dragging operations have : been continued all day.