THREE DROWNED

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1933, Page 5

THREE DROWNED

YACHT IN SQUALL

SURVIVOR’S GRAPHIC STORY.

f Per tress Association— Copyright.)

WAIPUKURAU, April 2o

The? L'7 foot auxiliary yacht Mispah, en route to Wellington from Auckland, from which port it sailed last Wednesday, was wrecked off the Porangahau coast early this morning, resulting in three- men being presumably dead —one from exposure when making his way inland, after having been washed ashore, and the other two evidently drowned. The vessel contained a crew of four, all young men in the early twenties. 'The only survivor is C. Harris, of Mt. Eden, Auckland. The names of two of the missing are J. 'Kellaway (captain) and Neville Naylor. The fourth member is Jack Harrell, whose name is not yet definitely confirmed. It was the latter’s body that was found this morning about a mile inshore. He hod struggled to land naked, and fell down in blinding wind and rain exhausted, dying from exposure.

The story told by the survivor is to ! the effect that early yesterday afternoon, the vessel reached a point south of Porangahau, when a southerly gam drove thorn north, despite their anchor. They wore unialdo to hold their course, and nt two o’clock this morn* ing found themselves in the breakers at a point midway between Porangahau River and Blackhead. The vessel commenced to break up, and they were washed overboard. Harris, after efforts to retain. a hold on various pieces of wreckage, gripped a butter box, with which lie was washed ashore. He was more dead than alive, but gained warmth from a vigorous rubbing with sand. Afterwards he made his way inland, running as fast as he could in the darkness till be eventually picked up a telegraph line, which brought him to Mr Parker’s home at Table Hill Station, owned by Mr Percy Hunter, three miles distant, at five o’clock this morning. He was greatly exhausted.

tS-'een in the aftenubon, Hnr-ris showed marked signs of his terrible ordeal. It will be necessary for him to remain in bed for several davs.

High seas have been running on the coast since yesterday. The beach is strewn with wreckage for some ■mites. Search parties were out all day looking for the two- missing men, of whom no trace was- seen. The owner of the vessel is Mr T. McAnley, of Wellington, who had recently purchased it from a Mr Lee, of Auckland, who is now en route to England. The crew were engaged to deliver the vessel to the new owner.