LAUNCH TRAGEDY.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1924, Page 3

LAUNCH TRAGEDY.

1 [liV TKI.KCiK.U'H-- I*J-.H VttKSS ASSOCIATION.] WEI.I.JNHTOX, January Id 1 Residents of island Lay. near Wellington. were this evening lion died I lo see a motor launch occupied hy three men being d ahoiit by an angry sea. One huge gave pooped the trail craft, and another hurled it on jugged rocks. Of tin* three occupants. only one man. ( harlcs Collins, of Id Hansen Street, na* saved. lie v-i-.s severely tuiured by the rocks, ||e was taken to the hospital. 11l- -oil William. »:n drowned. and another hi other, v.a.s ai-o drowned. The man. helievcd to la* Charles Collins' bodies U ere Hot IV, nvcl'ed ! ollills U a. married man with a family. TWO ,\ll*!X DRnWNED. WIiI.I.I.NOTON. .1 aitua i Hi. hast evening's laiii'eh tragedy at. I -iaiid 15 iy -u-iii. due i o i lie era I't , a thirty-foot,*! lain; caught by a comber a n was trying t, wi'.itfier the e*islei n ] *: 11 ; t of t! i, ■ Is land, r ua rdi ug (In* hale di ivon on tin* a, -!.s i !:,- I*,* i; gi. g uit a~ l\ pounded to li.n i*T v ord. Tv.o niell. \\ I:Ii:1111 Collins and one. helievcd to IDoyle, disuproan d *.*. !:*. a, the i: t; •* - ves--i 1 was pooped. and '-eie not aril again, Celiim,' fa titer clung to the launch it' long as pi>s*ib!<*. and then a, -he .*■ truck . In- jeiotrd and , iung to a tin i from uiieii he ua- ,-t cut ualtv t ereited. til! (High the !■■- eVi - y of Occ-f-I IV,-. I led, aged ■ even : eng . v. ho s .1 111 ,111 will! a liii.- and made 11 I:i -1 to the •Id man. Willing iok d- n .lon hauled him to sstely . ; Ileal stated at let v. ml- tli.it the I launch u, lir-t seen to !.,■ m dillieid- ' it*- olf the ea- ieru end of the Maud, lie and others went to gel a I,oat and g-- out to the launch's aid. hut before they could do so -he v ent ashore. Her motor oeenn-d to slop a l a ,-ritn-al moment. It' the launch had got a veiy little i'ai!i,-|- he to,",* stopeagi . -lie v.otiM have heeu in e,unj at a l ive’y shelter'*,l '-.liter and .-ometlnug could h.i\e heeii d, no for her. Heed say - when he o';:ri till to 1-ea-li Collins ilier. he was conscious Imt almost in- : pie - - though aI, I, to Hint o'er so that the rope could he adju-ted. lie ;f-kcd Ilea! ‘•'When* is my hoy. *-i that youth concillded his soil, had in en hi the laiitteh with him. Having got the ro> e round the old man. as Ileal modestly puts it, the hitter'- friends on tie- heaeh hauled liim ashore. Al the time of the Itagedy ahoiit -L.:jo p.ni . the sea was running mountains high under the 'impid-c of a lie ret* southwesterly gale ami breakers to. the eu t r-i te. e to Mrr-I Slav mad-.* a I*, ong e.* o 11, h , -1 1 in. In’ !-■, vims,. When the laiimh was iir-l n , ll the We.-t loin! of the |-lam.!. th,* motor was tip] nrcnt’y we; king, hut as she licit: - *.! the ca~t *rn point to make entrance to the haven, a lug sea ea me in over the slern and nppa,cully swaml cil Hie cockpit putting the engine out of rotund-- ion. She then drifted on to the rocks which she struck uncut .1 o'clock. The spot was about ; He: worst tint a launch could have Im. f[ ii had heeu mm hundred yard, to either side it "mild have heeu to water fairly clear o) the reck.-.. A rock called Cell! 1 .,* V tinie. v.c.' the one u 1 croon tile l.ouieh >.» as ea -t w ith such fair,l clfccls. Two I,lack nil- that had heel, mi the launch got a-h;ire salciy. and have found a home in Deal's house. A watch dog on In* launch wa- drowned. A’oung Ideal I'lmo-Ued that he thought eats had mere sagacity than a