Fatal Boating Accident

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 46, 4 October 1892, Page 2

Fatal Boating Accident

♦ (PEE PBESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, October 3. A boatine fatality at Wangarei y ester < day resulted in W. P. Tucker, and bis brother, Wilson, (miner), Frank Earns ay (tinsmith), I. Gallic (blacksmith), Ted Courtney, A Brooks and Sealey (tailors) being drowned and J. Pearson nearly so. The party were out yachting in the Tuckers, yacht, lately brought from Auckland. The settlers noticed the yacht capsized, and put off in a boat, but only rescued one person. The steamer Enterprise, under Capt Stephenson, preceeded to the scene of tbe accident and returned at midnight without finding any „ survivors, John Pearson, the survivor, says:— ' The squall struck the boat, and we were all thrown into tbe water.' It appears to have happened suddenly, as that is the only recollection Pearson has of the occurrence. He saw Ramsey holding on to the hatch, and Courtney swimming. Ramsey told Pearson to catch hold of another hatch floating near him, but Pearson preferred to trust to himself. The accident was observed by R. Scott and H. Going, who were out sailing. They immediately sailed for the place where the Minerva sank. After about an hour they reached the spot, and res* cued Pearson, who was still swimming but almost exhausted. Nothing else was te bo seen. Later, Captain Fairchild has found tbe yacht Minerva in the Wangarei Riyer. A quantity of boots and clothing were found in the bottom of the boat, but none of the bodies have been found as yet. The Whangarei township is in mourning through tbe yocht accident yesterday out of respect to the widows and fatherless children of the victims.