FOUR MISSING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 36, 13 February 1939, Page 8

FOUR MISSING

DROWNING TRAGEDY FEARED THREE MEN AND BOY BOAT AND HAT FOUND ON BEACH ( Per Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, Feb. 12. Three men and a boy are believed to have been drowned in the New River estuary on Friday night, when a sudden gale of considerable force struck a dinghy in which they were apparently rowing ashore. The dinghy was found upside down on the beach on Saturday morning and their launch was anchored a few chains off the beach. The members of the party, all of Invercargill, were: Thomas Victor Haggerty, married, aged 38, labourer. Hilary Haggerty, aged 11. son of Thomas Haggerty. James Popenhagen, married, aged 34. truck driver. Frank Herbert Rask, married, aged 28. The party left Invercargill at nine o’clock on Friday night in the launch with the dinghy in tow with the intention of going to Sandy Point to net flounder. A strong gale sprang up about midnight and yesterday morning the dinghy was found washed up on the beach while with it was a flounder net. Late this afternoon Popenhagen’s hat was found on the beach. A pair of oars has been found three miles along the beach, but these have not yet been identified. With the cabin of the launch locked it is apparent that the men left in the dinghy with the intention of netting close inshore. Despite a search along the beach and from an aeroplane and launches throughout yes-

terday and to-day none of the bodie has been found.