BOATING FATALITY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8392, 5 April 1907, Page 5

BOATING FATALITY.

FIVE LIVES LOST. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 4. The missing Patiki was picked up outside of Tiritiri by the scow Era, having been driven to sea by a gale. Only one of the five aboard—J. Pilkington—was in the boat, the other four having perished—viz., H. and F. Pilkington (sons of the survivor), Lionel Skinner and W. M'Aneney. The particulars at present are meagre. J. Pilkington states that three of the crew struck out for the shore and were drowned. One boy stayed with him in the boat. Being sickly Pilkington nursed him for eighteen hours then the boy expired. Pilkington later threw the body overboard. Pilkington, senior, had been 42 hours in the boat when he was picked up. The boat left Motuatapu in a squall and was drivtn to sea.

A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT. AUCKLAND, April 4. Pilkington, senior, interviewed, stated that they left Auckland, at 10.30 o'clock, on Monday morning, for a cruise round Motuatapa and back. Pilkington, senior, was at the tiller till he had passed Motuatapu. Between that island and Kakino, being tired, he gave the tiller to Lionel Skinner. About noon he himself proceeded to get the launch ready. About five minutes later a puff of wind struck the small craft. Pilkington, senior, let the sheet go. The Patiki rocked a few times, then went under. McAneney, who was a good swimmer, struck out for the shore, 250 yards away. Pilkington, senior, heard him shout, but saw nothing more of him. He was undoubtedly drowned, as the water was infested with sharks, and the news of his reaching shore must have been received before this. Pilkington, senior, Skinner, Fred. Pilkington and Harry Pilkington, stuck to the boat, which was full of water. Harry Pilkington, being a weak lad, his father had to assist him to retain his hold on the gunwale. Now and again the boat would turn right over, and the unfortunate four had to get a fresh hold. During the afternoon Lionel Skinner said it was no use hanging on any longer, and then next time the boat turned over he disappeared. During the same afternoon Fred. Pilkington disappeared, his body being found next morning under the deck of the boat. Pilkington, senior, hald on to his son, Harry, until 5 p.n~. The buffeting of the sea rendered the boy unconscious, and he died. Pilkington, senior, kept the bodies in the boat until Tuesday night. Then he threw them overboard. Pilkington, senior, managed to get the mast urshipped, and the boat floated half a yard out of the water on one side. He was able to keep his seat in her. He drifted past Motuihi. On Wednesday, at daybreak, he was ten miles outside of Tiritiri, and was then seen from the scow Era, which took him aboard, and brought him to town. He suffered a good deal from exposure. Charles Hansen, a member of the Era's company, states that at daybreak on Wednesday the- look-out heard a cry of distress, and descried a man clinging to a submerged boat with a torn shirt waving from the gaff. A welcome answering hail was given, and a boat lowered. It was found that the Patiki was all but awash with its solitary human burden, dressed in ragged trousers and coat, clinging to the combings, and leaning exhausted against the centreboard case. The rescuers lifted Pilkington aboard, and rowed him to the scow. He stated he had just given up all hope when he sighted the Era. LATER.

Speaking to a Herald reporter, Pilkington said there were four sharks constantly round the boat after Lionel Skinner's body was gone. "They seemed to know that I was hanging on for life," he said. "I don't know whether they were attracted by the dead bodies boat or not. A small one came quite close up to the boat, but the three very large ones kept about twenty feet away. I could sea them quite plainly swimming around the boat so that sometimes their big black fins would be showing. Mrs Skinner, mother of Lionel Skinner, states that her son Lionel is the second son she has lost by drowning, the first having lost his life in the Waikato River.