AFLOAT TWO DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 252, 24 October 1931, Page 10

AFLOAT TWO DAYS.

FISHERMEN'S TIMELY RESCUE

LAUNCH OVERTURNED. DECKHOUSE AS RAFT. (By' Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) • - v ' : ■ DUNEDIN, Friday. The Port Chalmers fisherman, ' Mr. Alexander Mcintosh, told a graphic story of his ordeal when he was rescued after being adrift for two days and two nights on the deckhouse of his launch. He, was without food and water for the whole time, but never despaired of rescue. ' Mr. Mcintosh said he was fishing when a storm began, and .he immediately hauled in his lines. After everything was secure he began ■ to make his way slowly towards Port Chalmers. When a huge wave approached at a tremendous height, with a wall so straight that it appeared impossible for the launch to

ride it, he put the boat bow on in the hope that he could climb, it. To avoid being "" washed overboard, he then .went into the wheelhouee. v

"The wave dropped flat on the boat and overturned her," he said. "I scrambled out and caught hold of the gunwale. Then the boat righted-herself and I dropped into the cockpit and climbed on to the deckhouse."

A quarter of an hour later, Mr. Mcintosh noticed that the decking was beginning to weaken at one end. He decided that he should stay on it, because the launch was full of water, and accordingly he lashed four oil drums to the deckhouse to give it buoyancy. Then it parted from the boat. He saw the searchlight" of the tug Dunedin that night in the distance; but it was impossible for him to attract attention. Twelve miles off Shag Point on Wednesday morning he saw a number of vessel's pass, but those on board could not see him j and another night came. On Thursday , morning a fishing vessel passed and went out of sight, but soon afterwards Mr. Edward Pile, of Moeraki, sighted him from his launch, and Mr. Mcintosh, who was now beginning to feel the pangs of thirst, was taken immediately to He is making a good recovery.'