YOUNG MAN DROWNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 February 1940, Page 7

YOUNG MAN DROWNED

DINGHY BLOWN OUT TO SEA. TRAGEDY NEAR MARTINBOROUGH (“Times-Age” Special.) A drowning accident occurred on the coast near Martinborough yesterday, when Russell Wallace, aged 18, a farm hand employed at Mr E. L. Riddiford's Tora station, was blown out to sea in a small dinghy. Leaving at 12.30 o’clock. Mr Wallace commenced fishing, but a strong westerly wind was blowing and carried the boat out to sea. The water was very choppy off shore. He was last seen in the boat at about 2 o’clock. Mr'c. Wilson, station manager, communicated with Wellington and an Army plane piloted by FlyingOfficer Barker left at once in search of the dinghy. The Wellington Harbour Board's tug Toia was also made ready and was prepared to sail when advice was received that the pilot had sighted the boat about 6 miles off the coast from the homestead, and it appeared to be empty, except for an oar and a coat in the bottom. The tug was docked and the plane returned to Wellington at about 6.30 last night. / Mr Wilson, in a statement last night, said that the'young man. a son of Mr H. B. Wallace, a mail contractor of Greytown, had been working at the station for about two months. After lunch yesterday, disregarding his own and another employee’s advice, Mr Wallace went out fishing in the dinghy. It is understood that Mr Wallace was a good swimmer, and it is believed that, when he found the boat drifting further out to sea, he threw off his coat and attempted to swim to the shore. It is stated that it is extremely doubtful if a strong swimmer could have reached the shore under the conditions ruling. The coast is being patrolled.