ACCIDENT IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12480, 17 April 1906, Page 5

ACCIDENT IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR.

MAN-O'WARSMAN DROWNED

(PRESS association* telegram.) WELLINGTON, April 16. A sad boating fatality occurred in the harbour this morning. A gig belonging to H.M.S. Pegasus left the warship shortly after 9 o'clock, in charge of P.O. Sweetmore, for tho purpose of going to the watermen's steps. Tho occupants of tho boat were—Sweetmbre, Bunker, (an A.8.),* Horard, 'Watts* -Richards., and Robert Spinner, making a crew of six. A stiff north-west wind was blowing at tho time, and the men-o'wars-men set 6ail for tho run shoreward. When the boat had covered little moro than half the distance, 6he jibed and capsized. The men scrambled on the bottom of tho gig, but she sank beneath them, and they were left struggling in the rough water. Some of them managed to support themselves with oars and loose fittings, and two of thorn, being good swimmers, were cn.<-ily able to keep themselves afloat until Tescued. Tlio accident was witnessed on board the Pegasus, and also by some hundreds of people on shore and on tho ferry steamers. Within two minutes from the time the gig oapsiwxl a cutter was lowered from the warship and sent off to the scene of the accident, Tho steamer Admiral, coming in from Karaka Bay, was not more than 300 yards away when the capsize occurred, and Captain Williams sent her full steam to the spot where the men wero struggling in the water, and she and the cutter from the Pegasus succeeded in rescuing five of them. The ferry steamers Duchess and Duco, and tho Government steamer Janie Seddon. also bore down to render assistance if necessary. Just lieforo tho Admiral reached the scene of the mishap, Bunker threw up his arms and disappeared. Bunker was the only man drowned.