SHARKS EAT MEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1923, Page 3

SHARKS EAT MEN.

A TRIFLE TRAGEDY. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. SYDNEY, June 17 A school of sharks, rendered vicious by hunger, attacked a party of font fishermen in a skill ofl Beliainbi. f hey nosed in the bottom ot tlie boat, which began to sink, and then turned over. The four men were thrown into tlie water. Tint them, George Clark. Powell and Joseph Rigby, were devoured by the monsters. The fourth mail, John Butler, alter a terrifying experience, hanging for an hour to the upturned boat, was rescued liv a passing collier.

FURTHER DETAILS. (Received this day at 11.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 18. According to (huails Rigby endeavoured to swim a-hore, a 'distance - of two miles, tor assistance when he tuts seized by sharks. The remainder clung to Hie upturned boat hut Clarke and Powell • became exhausted and sank. Butler climbed into the boat which had turned into position and standing waist high in water waved with his shirt to a collier loading at Wallongong. The collier steamed in his direction and rescued him. \\ hilst there is uncertainty regarding whether the three men were devoured by -harks or drowned, Butler is inclined to Ihiilk the former is the ease. The vieiims were miners and married. Right had five children, Clarke four, am! Rowel! three. Rigby had swum a few yards only oil his mission to obtain assistance when his comrades heard a cry and saw him dragged under. Butler, though badly exhausted himself. made desperate efforts to assist the oilier two men clinging to the boat, but being overcome by cold and exhaustion they dropped oil’. Butler managed to scramble into the boat, which, however, several times overturned before rescue came. The men wore in the habit of going fishing. Powell had no intention of accompanying them on Saturday hut he took the place of another who failed to turn up. The locality is infested with sharks at i hi- time of the year and they are reported to he exceptionally savage owing to the absence of the usual schools of fish.