FIVE DROWNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 69, 23 March 1931, Page 9

FIVE DROWNED.

LAUNCHING TRAGEDY.

MANAWATU RIVER ACCIDENT.

BOAT STRIKES SNAG WHILE

CROSSING.

ALL BODIES RECOVERED,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

PALMER STON NORTH, this day,

Five lives, were lost in a drowning fatality in the Manawatu River early yesterday afternoon. The cause of the tragedy was the sinking of a launch containing a picnic party of 13, all of whom were residents of Union Street, Foxton. The victims were three adults and two children, as follows: — Frederick Henricksen, married, aged 45, flaxmiller. Mrs. Ellen Henricksen, aged 43, wife of Mr. F. Henricksen. Cyril Henricksen, their son, aged 10. Hape Hakaria, married, aged 33, river service man. Charlie Hakaria, his son, aged 12. Those who survived were Mr. W. Neville, borough waterworks foreman, his wife, and their three children, Jim, Connie, and Iris Neville, all of whom are of school a age; Edna and Elsie Henricksen, and Mauley Symes, a youth. Snag in the Channel. Starting off happily from Foxton in Mr. Neville's launch, about 10 a.m., the. party went twelve miles or so up the river and landed in order to pick blackberries that were growing in a swamp, but at mid-day they decided to cross the river to a sandy beach for lunch. The party boarded the boat and set out for the opposite bank. While crossing the river the launch struck a snag in the channel, and the bottom was almost completely torn out of the boat, which filled with water in a few seconds, leaving the occupants struggling in the river. Hape Hakaria, who was a strong swimmer, seized his son, and wijth him under one arm struck -out for the shore, about 20 yards distant, but he had a seizure, to which he was subject, and sank before reaching the bank, taking his son down with him. Neither Mr. Henricksen nor his wife could swim, and both were drowned within sight of their children, two of whom managed to reach the bank. Desperate Rescue Efforts. Mr. Neville secured his wife who, in turn, caught hold of Cyril Henricksen. Mr. Neville struck out for the bank, but fouled a rope, and in getting clear of the obstacle Mrs. Neville lost consciousness and relaxed her grip of the boy Henricksen who disappeared. Mr. Neville managed to get back to the boat with his wife, and they were later taken off by a party of fiaxworkers, who were summoney by Mr. Neville's son from a camp in the vicinity. In the meantime, Symes, who was the first to reach the bank, stripped and returned to rescue Connie Neville and Elsie Henricksen. Jim and Iris Neville and Edna Henricksen, who could swim, were able to reach the bank without assistance.

Four of the bodies were recovered yesterday, and a search waws commenced for the body of the fifth victim.