NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3723, 29 November 1927, Page 2

NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING.

SEAMAN’S LUCKY RESCUE. A seaman off the s.s. Kennedy had a narrow escape from drowning' on Saturday night, being rescued in a very exhausted condition by Mr John Ross and assistants, after having fallen off the wharf. In conversation with our representative Mr. Ross said that late on Saturday night, after the pictures, he accompanied Mr. R. Rangiheuea down to the wharf to let the s.s. Kennedy away. Mr. Ross climbed on to the coal-bunker wharf to untie the vessel, while Mr Roore went to his office. He had no sooner reached the edge of the wharf than he heard someone struggling in the water near the bow of the Kennedy. He immediately roused the crew and a line was,thrown to a man who was seen struggling in the water and one of the seamen, on another line, went overboard and fastened a rope around the waist of the unfortunate man. As it was impossible to haul him up on to the deck of the Kennedy, Mr Ross and Mr Roore unmoored the Taihoa and drifted down and rescued him from his precarious position. He was then taken aboard and Kennedy in an exhausted condition and the vessel sailed a little later.

Evidently in the dark the seaman mistook his footing and waked over flic wharf into the river. But for the fact that Mr. Ross climbed on to the coal bunker wharf when he did there is little doubt that the man must have drowned.