FOUR DROWNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 232, 2 October 1933, Page 7

FOUR DROWNED.

BOATING TRAGEDY.

Helpless Onlookers See Storm

"Victims Perish.

FIFTH MAN MISSING,

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. Rough weather along- the coast of New South Wales was responsible i'or a boating tragedy yesterday in the vicinity of Cronulla. Seven men, in spite of the rain and the treacherous surf, went out in a launch for deep-sea fishing. The craft capsized and four of the party were drowned. The other three were rescued. The victims were: —John James Hodgson (03), Kobert Bantock Hodgson (05), Charles Lamph Seymour BiUTcll (Oo). Stephen Glcesou ir> massing. The bodies of the first four were recovered by the. three other survivors. People on cshore raw the men go to their death, but were powerless to help owing to the heavy seas. The launch drifted ashore, a total wreck. The anchor rope fouled the propeller, which was put out of action, and the boat was driven on to a reef and broken up. One of the survivors, S. Purches (24), was lowered overboard on a rope and attempted to free tli-e propeller, but could make no impresbion on the rope. The anchor chain then snapped, and, tossed by a big wave, the launch turned turtle and scattered the crew in the wa tor. Watchers signalling with sheets vainly tried to attract the attention of a collier, which passed within half a mile of the launch. Lamph had two artificial legs. Hir3 widow stated that he wan a powerful swimmer, and had ho had time to take off hie legs, would have reached the shore.