DROWNING TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3705, 18 October 1927, Page 3

DROWNING TRAGEDY.

THREE BOYS LOSE THEIR LIVES. Christchurch, Last Night. A shocking drowning tragedy occurred at Wpolston this afternoon, resulting in the death of three boys The names of the victims are: — JOHN DOWNING, aged 11. GEORGE EDEN, aged 8. ALEXANDER EDEN, aged 6.

Sometime between 4 and 4.30 the boys took an old boat which was lying in the Heatheote River near the tramway tanks and set out for a row, but had only a few* inches of freeboard, and, according to the statement of a little girl, who first gave the alarm, it had not gone far before it capsized and disappeared. The girl, May Downing, aged 6, a sister of the eldest boy in the boat, was apparently the only person who witnessed the tragedy and she at once ran to the home of her parents at 913 Ferry Road and gave the alarm.

The parents rushed to the river ' bank but there was no sign of the hoys or the boat. , v The police were immediately notified and some time elapsed before a boat and crew could be obtained to search the river with dragliooks. However, the search eventually proceeded and about four or five chains down stream the body of George iEden was recovered.

The rising tide compelled an abandonment of further search till to-morrow morning, when it is expected that the other two bodies and the boat will be recovered.