SHOCKING BOAT ACCIDENT.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1102, 22 October 1883, Page 2

SHOCKING BOAT ACCIDENT.

(per press association.) NAPIER, Oct 21

A boat accident, resulting in the death of three young men, and accompanied by unusually harrowing details, occurred in the inner harbour on Saturday evening. At about 4 o’clock six young’ men ; named James Stewart, Alexander Stewart, Arthur Dixon, William Meek, William Delahaye, and George Reardon borrowed a sailing boat which hid not a very good reputation, having previously capsized. When ;a quarter of a mile from land a squall struck the boat and capsized her,, James .Stewart and Dixbn swain ashore to seek assistance, the other four occupants getting safely on to the keel of the overturned boat. Owing .to dh,e 4wo r who landed not knowing the country, it was some : considerable time before they found assistance, and a great while longerbefore .the boat was, found, but with three occupantsonly.; ;Of these, Meek and Delahaye were dead from exhaustion and exposure. Stewart was ’ uncqiiscious. Rearderi was not to be seen. To-day Stewart recovered. He states that after the two men swam ashore, .the remaining four stayed on the boat fpr sometime. Meek was a strong swimmer and olCfered to assist Reardenj who could not swim, and the latter stripped. Jnst then a wave struck the boat, and washed , all of them off. Three of the four reached the boat again, but Rear-don-was never afterwards seen. Meek dived and cut away the ■■■ rigging, and the 1 boat righted, but there were not means of bailing her Out. She floated with her gunwale out of water. About an hour afterwards Delahaye became unconscious and fell out of the boat, but was pul’ed back and carried to the stern and supported by his comrades until; he died. Next Meek became uuconcious and fell forward. Stewart bad strength left t,o pull him back again, and supported his head above water but he soon died. Stewart was uuconcious when 'found. Delahaye is the son of an official in Wellington Gaol. Meek is also ; from Wellington. Reardon is the son of a schoolmaster here. Reardon’s body is not yet recovered.