POLICE ALMOST SWEPT AWAY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25589, 2 September 1948, Page 4

POLICE ALMOST SWEPT AWAY

RECOVERY OF BODY FROM SURF MAN KILLED IN AIRCRAFT CRASH NEAR OAMARU From Our Own Reporter OAMARU. September 1. Two police constables were almost swept away in the surf when they were recovering the body of Angus Mclntosh, Invercargill, the pilot of the aircraft that crashed off Pukeuri beach last week. Constables L. R. Blake and J. D. Farquhar, both of Oamaru, had to go into the surf to-day on a dangerous part of the shingle beach to get the. body. The body was on the beach when first seen by railwaymen, but when the police party arrived it had been washed back into the breakers. Constable Blake made a dash to get it. Wading waist deep into the surf, he had secured a grip on- the body when he was swept off his feet by the backwash. Constable Farquhar went to his help, and he, too, lost his foothold on the steeply sloping beach. He regained his footing, and managed to grab Constable Blake, who was being carried out, still holding on to the body.

Although nearly under water, Constable Farquhar kept his feet, and managed to struggle to shallower water, holding Constable Blake, who had both arms round the body. The constables were then swept in by another wave, and soon had the body out of reach of the breakers."

An inquest will be opened in Oamaru to-morrow, when evidence of identification will be given. Coats Apparently Removed Although a proper examination of the body had not then been made, the police said to-day that there did not appear to have been any serious in* juries. The fact that Mr Mclntosh apparently had time to remove his overcoat, jacket, and one shoe, supported the theory that the aircraft floated long enough for the pilot to prepare for a swim to the shore.

When found, the body was dressed in a singlet, a black shirt with a tie round the neck, and a waistcoat and trousers of dark grey materials, with a shoe on one foot and socks on both. Money was found in one of the pockets and also a watch, which had stopped at 6.40 p.m. The aircraft passed along the coast at Oamaru at 4.15 n.m. on Wednesday of last week. Although the body has not yet been definitely identified, the clothing tallies with the description of that worn by Mr Mclntosh when he left Invercargill.

Mr M. Aspros. of Oamaru, whose trawler and launch found the aeroplane yesterday afternoon, is convinced that he touched the body with his grapples during yesterday’s operations. He does not believe that Mr Mclntosh got clear of the aeroplane and was drowned while trying to swim ashore. At the request of the relatives of Mr Mclntosh. Mr Aspros intends to make another attempt to lift the aeroplane, probably to-morrow.