TRAGEDY FEARED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 276, 22 November 1927, Page 8

TRAGEDY FEARED.

TWO MEN MISSING.

SMALL BOAT CAPSIZES.

DESPERATE SWIM FOR LAND.

SURVIVOR'S AWFUL ORDEAL.

LANDS NAKED OX RANGITOTO

Early last evening, information was received in the city that on Saturday afternoon, a 12ft 6in dinghy with a wooden centre board, had been capsized wliile on the way from Milford to Islington Bay, Rangitoto, and, that, after a desperate struggle, one of "the crew of three men got ashore at Rangitoto, where, after suffering great privations, he had managed to reach a quarryman's cottage at the Motu quarry.

The two men missing and believed to be drowned are:—

William Williams (28), a married man, residing with his wife and family at Purchase Road, Takapuna.

James Bowman (35), a Takapuna Borough Council employee and a married man, residing with his wife and family at Pupuke Road, Takapuna.

Williams was a good yachtsman and athlete, and at one time played representative League football. The first intimation of the disaster was received when Mr. Stanley John Easdown, 48, a married man, residing at Rawhiti Avenue, Takapuna, the "third member of the ill-fated party, reached Motu and told a terrible story of a grim struggle for life, and a despairing swim that was made as a last resort in an endeavour to reach the shore.

The three men had embarked on a fishing and shooting expedition in the small boat, which was owned by Mr. B. Fenton, of Takapuna. It was their intention to put up at Mr. George Deun.es' shack on the far side of Rangitoto, although Mr. Dennes was unaware of it. Naturally no concern was felt for their safety until yesterday morning, when Mr. Fenton inquired whether the men had reached their objective. But even then relatives of the men were not over-apprehensive, for it was thought that, possibly, they had landed elsewhere, and, joining up with another yachting party, had found shelter and food. Had Mr. Dennes been expecting the party he would have proceeded to meet them, but as it was, urged on by some queer presentiment, he had made a partial tour of the island on Sunday in a launch. Caught by Gust of Wind.

It appears that about half an hour after the 'small boat had weighed anchor at Milford, a sudden gust of wind caught her and turned her turtle, with the result that Williams, Bowman and Easdown were precipitated into the water. All could swim, however, and they managed to climb aboard the upturned craft,- to which they clung until darkness descended, in the hope of being picked up. Chilled by exposure to the biting wind which whipped the harbour throughout Saturday, and numbed by continual immersion in the water, they eventually abandoned all hope of being rescued by some passing •craft, and, stripped of every vestige of clothing, dccided to swim for the shore. Williams and Easdown - swam at an angle to the keen wind, in the direction of Rangitoto, while Bowman chose the longer, though easier course, of swimming with the wind behind him for Motutapu Island. No trace of him has beeu found since, while Williams, who had been at the side of Easdown to within about half .a-mile of Rangitoto, is also missing. Easdown, presumably the sole survivor of the ordeal, in a pitiful state of exhaustion, clambered on to the rocky shore of Rangitoto, and, with his hands and feet cut iwd bleed-! ing. staggered to shelter. With hope that Williams, too, had made the shore rising in his breast, he waited round till daybreak, and periodically cried out in the night for his companion. Trying Ordeal on Rocks.

With the dawn of another day, .however, and no sign of Williams, he pushed on round the rugged coast naked, callnig out the names of his lost friends. Frorp his hat, the only article of clothing that he had retained, he tore the thin lining, and improvised covering for one foot by lashing a piece of driftwood to it. In this manner he hopped along -in' the direction of where he knew he would find assistance, and, although the going was agonising and painfully slow, he never gave up hope. When confronted with huge volcanic boulders, over which he could not clamber in his unprotected state, he took to the water and swam round these obstructions. To add to the agony of the situation, the sun heat down on his exposed body unmercifully, biting into his skin and bringing on an unquenchable thirst. With 110 fresh water available, he moistened his parched lips and dried and swollen tongue by sucking leaves and chewing vegetation. Considering* the handicaps he was labouring under, he made good progress, but nightfall found him still staggering over an interminable stretch of rocks, which even under ordinary conditions tear boots to shreds. Sheltering as best be could in his nakedness overnight, he pushed on again it the first rising of the sun yesterday. Ultimately he arrived at the isolated Motu quarry, where Mr. Raymond Vail, the caretaker, lives with his wife. Almost delirious with exhaustion, he headed for a deserted bach nearby, and here drank his fill of water secured from a tank, and found clothes, which, though they fitted where they touched, protected his body and assisted him to make further efforts to get help. Assistance at Last. *

Almost in a state of collapse, he pressed on to within a hundred yards of the littlo home of the Vails, but wa« unable to proceed further. Attention fas attracted to bis predicament by heatmg upon some old tin. Mr. Vail ZK&ytJ? just as he immediately mZ A * We 'l . warmth and •trencth f* ,lt '* nd the unfortunate JSfy b2i. to M nml hot driuk.. W,tk *> U P ■ -vSrs .jssgj. S'sssptir: H meAied aimt.nce 11*01.14,7 ju}

intention of rowing the eight miles to Devonport to notify the police and authorities of the tragic occurrence. Halfway across the channel he was sighted by the steamer Clansman, and picked up. He explained the situation, and tiie following wireless message was sent to the Auckland radio station, and conveyed to the wharf police: —

'"Twelve-foot boat, three men on board, left on Saturday. One rescued in exhausted condition. Two missing. Notify police. Send help at once Motu shingle quarry, near Rangitoto beacon."

The message was received at 7.-3 o'clock last night, and a launch and two constables were immediately dispatched to the Island. Difficulties, however, were experienced in securing stretchers and blankets, and in the hiring of a launch, and it was not till 8 o'clock that the launch Jumbo cleared Prince's wharf, with Captain A. H. Bentlev, of the Auckland Launch and Tow Boat Company, who had come across from Devonport, at the helm.

The rescue party was guided to Motu by lights at the quarry, and when within about half a mile of the reef, Mr. Vail, who had returned to the Island, was picked up. It was arranged then that Mr. Easdown should be brought out in another row boat, and the transhipment of the survivor was accomplished about a quarter of an hour afterwards.

Mr. Easdown was made as comfortable as possible on the return journey to Auckland, and on arrival at the city wharves was placed in an ambulance and conveyed to the residence of his sister, Mrs. W. J. Ronavne, of 13, Fairfax Road, Epsom. "Hung on for Hours."

Mr. Easdown, after medical attention and a good night in bed, is progressing as favourably as possible in the circumstances, although he is anxious to receive information as to the fate of his two missing friends. He is being kept quiet at the residence of his sister. In giving his version of the occurrence, he said that, after the vessel capsized, it seemed as though he and his companions hung on for hours, before they managed to struggle free of their clothing and struck out for the shore.

"Williams came with me," he said, "but the other man—l had never seen him till that afternoon—made off for the other island.

"Right up to the time we reached fie coast, Williams was with me. It became rougher then, and I missed him. The sea was running fast, and we were about three miles off the land when we started to swim.

"I do not know where the other man got to. He went with the wind at his back, but lie would have a longer swims. We were going to Islington Bay for a shooting and fishing trip. When we started to change tack the boat turned over, and we clung to her til! dark. Then we left her." Scarch for Missing Men.

After the launch which brought Mr. Easdown to Auckland had reached Prince's wharf, another departed for the island to search for Williams and Bowman. No trace of them was found overnight, and throughout to-day the police sent another party out at the request of the relatives of Messrs. Williams and Bowman, to make a detour of Hangitoto and a search of Motutapu. The ill-fated dinghy had only been recently built, and men used to conditions on the harbour, consider that the men were ill-advised to attempt to make the channel crossing on Saturday on account of the choppy nature of the sea, and the squally weather. "They took on something very difficult, and they had little chance of getting across on Saturday," said Mr. Dennes this morning. He pointed out that, to add to the difficult nature of the trip, none of the men had indulged in much yachting of recent times. "The idea was for the men to stay the weekend with me. Had I known they were coming, of course I would have gone out and looked for them," he added. j No News of the Missing.

Friends of the missing men have joined in the search, but 110 further news of either Bowman or Williams is available. It is provable that the search will be continued until dusk falls and forces the searchers to return.

Mr. Easdown is under the care of Dr. Abbott, and is reported to be doing well. It is expected that 1 it, will be a week before he is up and about again. He is suffering from exhaustion and worrying because he cannot join in the search for his friends. His feet are also knocked about, and he is suffering from minor injuries.