TAIERI LAUNCH SAFE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27993, 13 June 1956, Page 14

TAIERI LAUNCH SAFE

36 HOUR BATTLE IN HEAVY SEAS

BOAT SAILS INTO PORT NEAR BLUFF

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, June 12.

Overdue at Taieri Mouth since yesterday morning, the fishing vessel Challenger sailed under its own power into the small port of Waikawa, 20 miles east of Bluff, about 11 a.m today.

The two men on board, William Johnston, aged 44. and Erwin Anthony Joseph Apes, aged 25, are both well, and the Challenger .has little to show for her 36-hour battle with heavy seas.

The Taieri bar was still unworkable today, and the boat will probably be left at Waikawa until the weather, is calmer.

The two men spent the night on board the Challenger, and it was thought tonight that they would return home by car tomorrow. The reporting of the Challenger's arrival ended an air search which started at dawn today.

A twin-engined Devon aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force station Wigram, joined in the search for the launch yesterday afternoon. The plane took a normal Devon crew with rubber dinghies and rescue emergency equipment and operated from the Taieri field.

For an hour and a half it flew over rough seas in a 25-knot wind until was advised by radio that the launch had reached safety. The aircraft piloted by Sergeant-Pilot L. Giddens, returned to Wigram at 4.30 p.m.