LAUNCH RESCUED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 126, 29 May 1937, Page 12

LAUNCH RESCUED.

FISHING ADVENTURE.

TWO MEN EXHAUSTED.

TOWED INTO KAWHIA.

The fears entertained on Wednesday foj* the safety of two men in the fishing boat diking, owned by Mr. H. J. McKain, of New Plymouth, which left Waitara last Saturday for the Kawhia fishing grounds and had not been heard of for four days, were set at rest yesterday, for the vessel was * found by. another fishing boat, the Galileo, 10 miles off the coast and was towed into Kawhia Harbour late yesterday afternoon. The two fishermen, Mr. T. Daniels and Mr. V 7. H. Goodman, when found, were suffering from exhaustion, for they had been without food food or waiter for 48 hours. They told a graphic story of their sufferings after, the engine of thenlaunch broke down on Tuesday, when the Viking was about to return to New Plymouth. The Galileo left Kawhia early yesterday morning and set a course west-south-west off Albatross Point, and after two hours' voyaging the three members of the crew sighted the masts of -the missing launch on the horizon. Man falls Overboard.

As soon as Messrs. C. Robinson, A. Robinson, of New Plymouth, and J. S. Cully, of Kawhia, on the Galileo, came alongside the Viking, they provided the two distressed members of the crew of the New Plymouth fishing boat with hot drinks. Both men were suffering severely from hunger and thirst. They said they had lived on fish, for three days, and that they had caiight 20001b of fish.; This they had to throw overboard. Temporary' repairs were effected afte£? the Viking's engine broke down, but after running for a while the engine gave out again. To add to the troubles of the two men, Mr. Daniels, while attempting to pour petrol into the engine tank, slipped on the deck and fell overboard with the can. He managed to climb iOn. board the boat again without muchs cjifficulty, biJt lost the only supply of patrol. The vessel's'suit of sails was useless owing to "the dead calm, and, unable to make any progress towards shore, the men anchored the launch in a position JO miles off ■" Albatross Point. They sighted the steamer Holm lea three miles out to . sea on Thursday, and sent up a number of rockets, but these were not seen. No other passing vessels were sighted, although both men kept an anxious watch. Their hopes were brightened when they sighted one of the aeroplanes sent out to search for them. Not long afterwards the launch Galileo fortunately hove into' sight, and the Vising wa staken in tow/ Further troupe crossing the Kawhia bar towlihe parted) and great .difficulty was experienced by those on board the Galileo in picking up the towlme because, of the heavy .BfyelV:tbat w&b running. . ; '• not until ,3.30 yesterday after'the two-.boats anchoftd in Kawhia. - Oh~ arrival the two exhausted men were cared for by local residents. When the engine is repaired the Vikin~ will return to New Plymouth