FELL FROM GANGWAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 491, 22 October 1928, Page 1

FELL FROM GANGWAY

i DEATH OF SHIP’S OFFICER VERDICT AT INQUEST ! A verdict of accidental death in acI cordance with the medical evidence was returned at an inquest held this morning on the death of Victor Grant Allen. Mr. Allen, who was the second officer of the steamer Canadian Explorer, died in the Auckland Hospital at midnight on Saturday, following injuries received through falling from the ship’s gangway on Friday evening. Mr. Allen, who was 27 years of age, was a native of Yamouth, Nova Scotia, and had been connected with the Canadian National Government steamers for some years. Evidence given this morning showed that Mr. Allen in company with Frank Voutier, the ship’s carpenter, and Ronald Tydeman, an apprentice, was walking down the gangway about 8.30 on Friday evening.

Mr. VoLitier saw the officer slip when half-way down and fall over backward. He fell past the net spread beneath the gangway, struck the edge of the wharf and finally fell into the water. Witness stripped and went in after Mr. Allen, holding him up by grasping a pile until a rope was lowered to him. Deceased was then unconscious. Mr. Tydeman corroborated his shipmate’s story. Dr. Murdoch certified that death was due to partial drowning and injuries to the head. Captain H. H. Sargeant, harbourmaster, commented that it was an .accommodation ladder and not a gangway from which Mr. Allen had fallen. It was the first occasion in 20 years than he had heard of anyone falling from an accommodation ladder.