BIRKDALE BOATING TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1953, 9 January 1914, Page 5

BIRKDALE BOATING TRAGEDY

; , v _- r DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT. (By Association.) Auckland, January 8. An. inquest on tlm body of William Sutton, a postal employee) aged 18, ,th.e victim of the fatal boating accident at Birkdale on Sunday afternoon, was oonohided by Mr., D, A. Sutherland, Coroner, this morning. George Moslem, nged 14, stated that about 2.p.m. on Sunday ho left Bnrclav's Day, Birkdale, with four others, including deceased, in a small dinein. with' the object, of reaching n launch moored some distance out. Tho water' was calm at' first, but when ihoy were within about four yards of tho launch ,0, sea came over and swamped tho dinghy. All hands jumped overboard and Sutton, who could not swim, seized Veart, tho only adult member of tho party, round the neck. Veart tried for about five minutes to get n proper life.saying grip on to deceased, who, however, would not lot go his hold on tho neck of his would-be rescuer, who was getting, into difficulties himself. Witness saw Veart take deceased by the throat in order to mako him temporarily helpless.' Deceased, however, sank at once, And did not rise again, and .Veart, who was quite exhausted, managed to cling to tho dinghy till a boat tcscucd him, Witness was too poor a swimmer, to give any. assistance, but he managqd to get aboard tho launch. There wore three small boys on tho launch at the time, but none of thorn could assist. ■' Tho 'Coroner returned a verdict of accidental drowning, and remarked that Veart was to bo commended for his efforts in attempting to rescue the defeased. .- ■ '■ .