LOST OVERBOARD

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21193, 16 August 1940, Page 9

LOST OVERBOARD

TRAWLER HAND BAY OF PLENTY ACCIDENT ENTANGLED IN ROPE (By Telegrapn.—Special to Times) TAURANGA, Thursday Dragged overboard by a rope in which he became entangled, the fourth hand of the Auckland seine fishing boat Waimana was drowned and the mate was fortunate in escaping a similar fate when the vessel was trawling in heavy weather in the Bay of Plenty at 7.30 o’clock this morning. The victim was:— Mr James Toa, aged 21, a Maori, whose parents live at 65 West Street, Auckland. The Waimana, which is owned by Waitemata Fisheries, Limited, with Mr E. McCracken as skipper, left Auckland on Thursday of last week. She would have returned to port a day earlier had not official duties in the Hauraki Gulf resulted in delay on the outward voyage. Proceeding to the Bay of Plenty the boat was trawling in a rough sea and strong wind off Motiti Island when the accident occurred. Dragged Into Sea In shooting the trawl a rope was being paid out from the stem. Without warning, Mr Toa and the mate, Mr Frank Viskovich, aged about 22, of Auckland, were entangled and dragged into the sea. Mr Toa, who was wearing tight gumboots, disappeared from sight within two or three minutes, but Mr Viskovich contrived to kick off his boots and keep afloat until a line was thrown to him from the boat. He was hauled on board unhurt. The Waimana searched the area for two hours, but no trace of Mr Toa was seen. The boat then put into Tauranga and, after reporting the accident, left in the afternoon for Auckland. She is expected to reach port early to-morrow morning. The fatality off Motiti is one of few which have occurred in the Auckland seine netting fleet. Fishermen stated yesterday that over 40 boats were out almost daily in almost all weathers, but in the past 15 years only four lives had been lost among the crews who manned the vessels.