SUMNER FATALITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10808, 31 December 1926, Page 2

SUMNER FATALITY

YOUTH LOSES HIS LIFE. CAPSIZE OF A YACHT. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A youth, Ron Eden, aged 16, of 99 Grafton Street, Limvood, was drowned at Sumner yesterday morning, when the yacht Buccaneer, of which he was a member of the crew, was capsized opposite the Life Saving Club's pavilion. The other five members of the crew were rescued in an exhausted state.

The yacht, an 18-footer, left the Scarborough. Boat Harbour about 10 o'clock, manned by Messrs Will Foster, Jack Bedelph, Fred Arnold, Con Barson, Bob Smith, and Ron Eden, all members of Limvood except Mr Foster. Just as they were off the Life Saving Club's pavilion the boat was caught by a heavy breaker and capsized. Tangled up in the cordage, the crew were sooo in great. difficulties. " Their predicament was'seen from the shore, and the bell at the pavilion was rung. A scratch surf crew, consisting of Messrs Leslie Hislop, Fred Priest, and Ernest Newman, went out, and, after a long struggle, brought five men ashore. .A heavy sea and a strong current were running, and the life-saving azw had a difficult time. In the meaul me the lifeboat had put out, but it was a long pull to the scene of the latality, and five of tlie men had been brought ashore. Eden could not tie tcind !>\ the rescuers, and the lifeboat made a search, but it was unsuccessful. Barson and Bedelph were in a very exhausted condition when they were rescued. Dr. Bates and Dr. Slater were both present, and restorative measures had to be carried out for nearly two hours before they were in a condition to be motored home. Even then, Barson was suffering severely from the effects of his immersion.

The rescue operations were watched by about 300 people. Residents nearby rendered great assistance by supplying hot water bags, blankets, stimulants, and a complete change of clothes for each of the five men.

The yacht was a centreboard boat, and was thrown up on the beach in a wrecked state. Lifeboat ini Danger. The Sumner lifeboat crew experienced the greatest difficulty in getting over the bar, owing to the heavy break. Twice the steering bar was hurled from the rowlock, and the last part of the return journey had to be made without its aid. The Scarborough, lifeboat also went out, and anxiety was felt for its safe return owing to the break at the boat harbour and to the fact that it was thought it would have to negotiate the breakers with an additional five or six men on board. The officer in charge of the Sumner lifeboat, the Rescue, Lieutenant R. A. Kerr, said that it was impossible for them to make a successful search for Eden near the shore, asi he would probably have been forced to beach the boat.

Bob Smith, one of those rescued, was the first to recover, and he was taken to Dr. Slater to have a gash in his hand attended to. He spoke in terms of highest praise of the work of Heslop and Priest, who carried out the rescue work, Newman being on the line. On shore, members of the Life Saving Club helped the doctors in promoting warmth in the bodies of the men as they were carried ashore.

The fatality lias drawn attention to the need of warm, dry underclothing, which gives warmth more comforting

than that of blankets. There is also a need for a. supply of hot water bottles. The doctors present suggested that these should be kept in the Life Saving pavilion to be used in case of enier genoy

Ron Eden was 16 years of age. His companions state that ho disappeared suddenly, and it is thought that he may have been injured when the boat capsized. The Buccaneer was a half-decked boat, and had beer, on the Scarborough slips for about three months. Yestorclav morning fishermen warned the lads not to go out in such a heavy sea. Gallant Rescue Work. In the rescue work, Heslop, who is spending a holiday with his father, Mr H. W. Heslop, of Euston Street, battled against the heavy breakers till almost exhausted, and then gave the belt over to Priest. Priest had run over half a mile from the pier, and [found -the surf difficult to get through. He swam far enough out to hear the victims say, "We are all in !" when a huge breaker swept him from them. After another great effort he reached Carson, who was the worst, being helpless with exhaustion, and, with another gripping the belt, he got into shallow water, where, with the spare line paid out, he assisted Heslop to rope up the other three lads, and in this way helped them to reach shallow water. Priest, who was dragged under upon reaching Barson, had to fight every inch of the first portion of his return journey. Some seven years ago he had a similar though somewhat . less severe experience, when he rescued j Mr W. Machin at Taylor's Mistake. He was then a lad of 16. Body Recovered.

The boy Eden's body was> found on the beach at Scarborough at 6.30 o'clock last night.