SWEPT FROM BREAKWATER

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 3

SWEPT FROM BREAKWATER

TWO MEN DROWNED {Vm United Tress Association] XKW PLYMOUTH, March -':.' <1 Two moil who were lishing on the ■•"> breakwater at the port of Nov.' I'ly'i' month were swept oil' by a huge wave - s this morning and drowned. '1 bey l- were : / Albert Tbe;kleson, an engineer eui'j ployed at a foundry, aged twenty-nine, married, with lour children. Ernest Ed ward Thomas, road roller \i driver, employed by the Borough Council, aged about thirty, married, with ,_ o;io child. ~ The bodies had not been recovered v this evening. ; s The breakwater, which .shelters the , s liarbour, is a wide concrete wall jut- ()' Lin<4 nearly hall' a mile into the >ea. ._ 7'lr-.; morning; heavy seas driven by a. y westerly wind were crashing over tlm A wall at'intervals. The two men gained l, the end of the breakwater by dodging the waves. A number ol' people who n saw them realised their danger, but could do nothing in time to avert the disaster. At the extreme end of the wall, the men, although drenched, were see;: to commence, fishing. Within a I'civ minutes a huge wave wished upon t h' J paw, sleeping both men info the seething water. Two boys who were paddling a canoe in tbf! sheltered water went out and picked up one man's hat. anil the Harbour Hoard launch, within a lew minute-,, thoroughly searched the locality, but the men were not seen again. I'ioth men were experienced lishermeii who knew the harbour well. .Many residents, who had a full view of the tragedy, were amazed at their daring in att. :pting to reach file end of the wail. Thomas, who was distinguishable by iii.s size l'rom Tberkieson, was seen to bend down as the wave struck the outer side of the wall, am! then, as the living water struck him. he was sent headlong into the foaming water - on Iho harbour side, where it is pro- , liable he would strike the ragged rubble Hanking the wall. Thorkleson, who u as. 1 standing on a concrete block over the - end <.■' Ihe wall, wa- simply smothered .■ in the frothing wave.