Three Boys Drowned When Boat Capsized

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 178, 18 October 1927, Page 9

Three Boys Drowned When Boat Capsized

CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY ONE BODY RECOVERED j (Special t THE SUN.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. | THREE boys were drowned in the Heathcote River at Woolston this afternoon when an old boat in which they were rowing capsized and sank. The three victims were: John Downing, aged 11 years. George Eden, aged eight years. Alexander Eden, aged six years. Some time after 4 p.m., the boys took an old boat which was moored to the bank of the Heathcote River near the old tramway tanks beyond Woolston, and set out for a row. The boat had only a few inches of freeboard and, according to the eldest boy’s little sister who first gave the alarm, it had not gone far before it capsized and disappeared. The girl, May Downing, aged six, was apparently the only one who witnessed the tragedy, and she at once ran to the home of her parents at Ferry Road and gave the alarm. The parents rushed to the riverbank, but there was then no sign of the boys or the boat. The police were immediately notified but some time elapsed before a boat and crew could be obtained to search the river with draghooks. The body of George Eden was recovered with the aid of a boathook about four or five chains down stream. The rising tide compelled the abandonment of further search later in the evening, and operations were suspended until to-morrow morning, when it is expected that the other two bodies and the boat will be recovered. The body of the boy Eden was taken to the home of his parents at Bamford Street, Woolston. SEARCH FOR BODIES CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. At noon to-day one body had been recovered, that of George Eden, aged 9. The punt was obviously unseaworthy, and had been lying on the river bank for a long time. It had large gaps in the side and was almost filled with mud. The boys, who were on their way home from school, played in it. Men who saw it on the bank said that it was a wonder that it did not sink immediately.

From the little girl's story, it is evident that the three children had almost crossed the river before the boat went under. She said that the bow of the boat pointed suddenly downwards and the punt made a swift dive.