WRECK OF THE CUTTER "FLY."

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 47, 21 April 1863, Page 2

WRECK OF THE CUTTER "FLY."

PILOT BOAT CAPSIZED.

CAPTAIN ALDRED AND THREE

MEN DROWNED

A melancholy accident occurred at Riverton on Sunday afternoon, when the cutter Fly, Captain Zall, was totally lost, and four men drowned. From the particulars which have reached us, it appears that the Fly, with a cargo of timber from Stewart's Island manned by three men, stood in for River ton on Saturday afternoon, with the signal for a pilot flying. On Sunday forenoon Captain Aldred, pilot master, manned the pilot boat and putting off succeeded in boarding the cutter, but the sea was then so rough that he could not take her over the bar, and accordingly stood to sea. The storm continued for several hours, and the vessel became quite unmanageable, so that all hands, eight in number, were compelled to take to the pilot boat. About three quarters of an hour after the cutter was abandoned, a heavy sea struck the boat, and turning it completely over, precipitated the whole party into the water. Captain Aldred and Captain Zall, with two of the pilot crew, managed to cling for about five minutes to the boat, when they were washed off. Captain Zall, with three of the pilot crew, then endeavored to reach the shore, distant about two hundred yards. In this they succeeded, but we regret to state that the other four, viz., Captain Aldred, with three of the crew of the cutter, were lost. The position of the vessel and danger of the pilot boat being distinctly seen from the town, a number of the inhabitants proceeded to the beach to render assistance. This unfortunately they were unable to do, except to a very limited extent, though by their efforts Captain Zall was saved. Up to nine o'clock on Sunday night the bodies of the men lost had not been found. A most painful feature in the case of Captain Aldred, is the circumstance that he had just brought his wife to the town. We have not learned if he or the other unfortunate men have left any families.

Since the above was in type, a second report of the fatal occurrence has reached us. The two are substantially the same in the account of the accident, but there is a discrepancy regarding those saved and lost. Our later communication says that the men saved were Captain Zall, two Maorics, and one of the pilot crew ; and those lost, Captain Aldred, one of his crew, and two men belonging to the cutter.

We are unable at present to say which account of the catastrophe is correct, but at all events it is clear that Captain Aldred and three men have met a watery grave. The cutter of course was totally lost, and the pilot boat, being driven on to the beach, was taken charge of by th e police.