DROWNING FATALITY

Lake County Mail, Issue 25, 12 November 1947, Page 7

DROWNING FATALITY

TRAGEDY ON WAKATIPU LAUNCH SINKS A passenger in a launch which began to take in water and subsequently sank when it was being towed to Queenstown, James Albert Thwaites, aged .‘lO, married, was drowned in Lake Wakatipu last week. Thwaites, a carpenter, of Arthur’s Point, was a son of Mrs M. H. Thwaites, Crinan,street, Invercargill. The tragedy occurred in one of the deepest parts of the lake and it is considered unlikely that the body will he recovered. The launch, owned by Air J. B. Hamilton, • jar., of 'Queenstown, left for Glenorchy on Tuesday afternoon last week with Thwaites and Ross Gray as passengers. When a point between Mt. Creighton and a place known locally as Rat Point was reached the launch began to make water. It was decided to attempt to reach the shore, but Mr IT. Tomkies’s launch, bound for Queenstown from Glenorchy, came in sight and it was agreed that the launch should put out into the lake again to meet him. Air Tomkie took the disabled launch in tow, the three men remaining on board .to bail. The leak suddenly became more severe and water gushed into the launch which began to fill. Before the men could make their escape the launch sank under them. Mr Tomkies was able to rescue Hamilton and Gray, but Thwaites sank before he could bo rescued. He was reputed to be a good swimmer. The tragedy occurred about 200 yards off-shore. This is the third or fourth drowning which has occurred in this area of the la"ke.