THREE DROWNED

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 8 February 1927, Page 9

THREE DROWNED

—* — BOAT OVERTURNS A* HAMILTON. BODIES RECOVERED FROM LAKE. (rati j usocunoa rauoiun.), HAMILTON, February 7. A triple drowning fatality occurred on iho Hamilton Lake last night whoa a pleasure boat, carrying four occuj.ed:s, capsized. Those d/owned were: Annie Kells, twenty, daughter ei iii unu Mtt Kelts, of ie Kapa. Kuoj liailuwe, tweuiy-two, i.nuiu jiaiuuu reside at .Napier. ut-vur Uraliaui, aged twenty-two, aon ci jlr nuu Mrs \\. U. Urabani, of iiamiitou. llie leurth occupant, George Smith, ol iiamiitou, was saved by climbing on to tlie Dot torn ot Uio upturned boat. i'lie accident occurred at 10.80 p.m., just as die party was about to return 10 the shed. It seems that the four young people were tempted by the calm- ■ uess ot the water. After rowing and drifting about for some time ciniitu. biiggesicd that it was time to return. As iio and Miss Kells moved to tako up the oars tho craft completely overturned without warning, and the four occupants were shot into the water beiore they realised what had happened and before they had time to scream.

Smith, tho survivor, as soon as ha found himself on the surface of the water, freed himself of hit jacket and managed to grasp the edge of the. upturned boat. He states that the other tlirco were also clinging to the tide when their weight pullea the craft uptight again, but it turned over for toe third time and remained bottom up. By this time Graham and tho two girls had disappeared. Smith, still.clinging to the boat, called out for help, and about a quarter of an hour later another boat put out and rescued the exhausted survivor.

There were no signs of the others, though a search was made. Smith, though not a strong swimmer, was able to take care of himself, while it is surmised that Graham, who was a fair swimmer, was probably dragged under by one of the girls. It is not known whether {he girls could swim. It is believed that Hiss. Kells was unable to swim, and that burdened with fairly heavy clothinp,sh« sank immediately she released her hold of the boat. The tragedy occurred about the centre of the take.

The bodies of the two girls and the man have all been recovered. Dragging operations took place to-day and Miss Kelt's body was found shortly before noon, the other two being recovered within a few minutes of each other •horfly before 6* p.m.