NAPIER.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4635, 12 November 1883, Page 2

NAPIER.

[Per Pbess Association^

This day. Boat Accident.

The names of the men composing the crew of a boat lost in the harbor are as follows: Captain Setten; C. A. Stevens, chief officer ; L. O. Veitch, third mate; T. Kerr and J. L. Grey, seamen ; and Arthur Kirtsey, apprentice. All of the skip Pleiades' boats proceeded safely after starting until the worst part of the rip on the bar was passed, when abreast Of the end of the Bangatira bank a heavy break caught her nearly broadside on, and turned her completely over. A few persons were standing about the breastwork when the accident hap pened, watching: to ace how the boat (a light gig) behaved, when passing through the jobbling sea on the bar. Among the spectators were H, Kraeffc, harbormaster, and Captain Tonkin, of the barque Langstone; on observing what had happened, both ran rapidly fot means to render assistance, Capt;. Kraett making for the pilot boat, which was moored at both ends in the iron pot, and Capt. Tonkin running to a boat belonging to the s.s. Weka, willing volunteers to man the boats followed* and within an incredibly short space of time, both boats were manned, and speeding rapidly down the port entrance to where the men thrown out of the capsized gig were struggling in the water. The pilot boat reached the scene of the accU dent first; the" Weka's boat which had to be launched, and for which oars had to be rapidly gathered up'from;other boats before starting, was not many seconds later. Just before the pilot boat reached the capsized gig, Capt. Kraft saw the sis men in the water, but when the next wave had rolled past two had disappeared. There then remained visible only Capt. Setten, who was clinging to the*overturned boat, the apprentice, who had managed to secure the boat's mast, the seaman Grey and the first mate; the last named were at opposite ends of an oar, the mate clutching the handle, and Grey with the blade in his teeth, swimming strongly in the indeavor to save himself »ud his companion. When the rescuing boat was within a few yards of Grey, a wave swept the first mate from his grip of the oar, and he was never seen afterwards. The pilot rescued the remaining three men ; Captain Setten had just dropped into unconsciousness as he was pulled into the boat, but the other two did not seem so affected by their struggle in the breakers as might have been expected. The thrr-e men were quickly conveyed to the Crown Hotel and pat to bed, and Dr. Matthews arrived and administered restoration to Captain Setten, and the two seamen. Captain Setfen needed the most attention, as he became hysterical as conscionsness returned, and the dreadful scene from which he had jmst been rescued came back to his memory.