LAUNCH SWAMPED OFF LYTTELTON HEADS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2738, 27 May 1924, Page 3

LAUNCH SWAMPED OFF LYTTELTON HEADS.

PASSENGER DROWNED, CREW SURVIVES. Cbritclmrcb, Last Night. In the fierce northerly gale that was raging along the coast to-day, the well-known launch Toi Toi was swamped off Add or ley Head, and a passenger, Clarence Edward Barter, aged 15 years, residing with liL parents at Martin’s Road, Opawa, was drowned, whilst two Maoris landed through the surf on to the rock, narrowly escaping being dashed to pieces. The Toi Toi was owned and skippered by Mr Harry Ureunell, a Maori, of Purl Levy, and ran the regular service between Port Levy and Lyttelton. This morning as usual, the skipper being accompanied by his brother, Mr Dick Grennell, and the boy Barter, who had been batching at Port Levy with a relative, and was returning home to school. From the account given subsequently by the launch owner, it appears that a terrible sea was encountered off the heads. When the v essel was in the act of tux-ning, a iu-avy sea. washed the forward hat-ch-cover off. Then disaster followed swiftly. \\" ilV e after wave poured down the open . hatchway. The engine stopped, and the little vessel began to sink by the bead. Realising the extremity of their peril, the two brothers decided to attempt to swim ashore. First they lashed, a lifebuoy around Batter and then all took to the sea.

For some Lime the two Grennells tried to tow the boy in, but found instead that all were being carried out. The struggle in the breaking sea soon exhausted them, and then tiie boy was washed away. After a terrible battle in the surf, ihe Maoris were thrown upon a rocky beach at the foot of the cliff. Then by a tortuous process of climbing rocks and edging along the sheep tracks on the cliff, they linaliy made their Way to the signal station, the climb occupying two hours. There they reported the disaster, and received uleqtion and warm clothes.