TRAGEDY OFF TARANAKI COAST.

Shannon News, 4 November 1924, Page 1

TRAGEDY OFF TARANAKI COAST.

SAILOR GOES OVER-BOARD FROM LINER. ' WANGANUI, Last Night. On account of the rough weather and the exceptionally heavy seas running at the time, the Port Caroline, a Home cargo liner, which was proceeding from Wellington to Wanganui on Friday afternoon, was forced to remain outside, and steamed up the coast till about thirty miles off Patea. It was there that one of the crew, Patrick Doyle, who had joined the vessel at Wellington, disappeared; overboard.' A lifeboat, manned by nine men, in charge of the chief officer, Mrslf. H. Smith, was immediately lowered, and a belt thrown to the man in the water. • . Doyle was seen to grasp the belt, . but later let go, and, according to one of the men from the ship, showed no inclination to be rescued. They infer that he deliberately jumped overboard. The return to the ship was a difficult matter indeed, mainly on account of the high sea, and the darkness which had settled over the whole scene rendered the task even more difficult and dangerous. From 5.20 p.m., when the man disappeared overboard, till 9.30 p.m., they fought the waves, and at one [ stage of the struggle had almost made up their minds to pull for the shore and ground the boat. I Their efforts were ’’eventually rewarded,. however, and - the return to i the vessel safely accomplished, though i the experience of the men in the open t boat was anything’but pleasant. i ;—:—