Holmglen Inquest Discovery Of Bodies In Sea Described To Court

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29205, 16 May 1960, Page 12

Holmglen Inquest Discovery Of Bodies In Sea Described To Court

(New Zealand Press Association) TIMARU, May 15. The finding of the bodies of three of the members of the crew of the Holmglen, which foundered with all hands 20 miles east of Timaru on November 24 last was described at an inquest at Timaru on Saturday. The bodies were those of Sydney Victor McKenzie, able seaman, of Glasgow, James McEwan, wiper, and Wilfred Henry Harding, third engineer, of Mangakino, and the inquest into their deaths, opened before the Coroner (Mr J. M. Jenkins) on Saturday, was adjourned until tomorrow.

William Alexander, fisherman, of 49 Sefton street, Timaru, said that on November 25, with members of his crew in the Craigewan he was engaged in the search for the vessel Holmglen which had sent out a distress signal the evening before.

“We had been informed that the Holmburn, also engaged in the search, had sighted an ojl slick in the water about 9 am. on November 25,” said the witness. “We could see the Holmburn about two miles away. She suddenly turned into the weather and then radioed saying she had discovered wreckage and two bodies.”

The Holmburn could not get the two bodies aboard and asked the Craigewan for assistance. “As we neared the Holmburn I saw a whole heap of wreckage floating in the sea,” said the witness. “There was a cargo tray about 6ft long. It had three lifebuoys lashed to it with a piece of new rope. The lifebuoys could separate to about 18in apart. There was a broken piece of rope attached to the lifebuoys. This appeared to be a piece of heaving line. “The body of a young man was through one of the lifebuoys. He was held in by the waist. His body was doubled up in the position with the head well immersed in the water.” He took the body aboard the Craigewan and brought it back to Timaru where it was handed over to the police. The body was clad only in a shirt and singlet. He had since been told by the police that the body was that of Sydney Victor McKenzie.

To the Coroner, the witness said the body was fo..nd about 20 miles east-south-east of Timaru.

The skipper of the Timaru fishing vessel Nella, Roderick Alexander Donaldson, of 42 Evans street, Timaru, said that about 5 a.m. on November 25, the Nella left Timaru to join in the search. Shortly after 9 a.m. he received a call from the Holmburn asking for assistance to recover two bodies. “As we neared the Holmburn we came across a lot of debris floating in the sea,” said the

witness. "I saw the body of a man floating in the water. The body, supported by a life jacket, was floating face down. All that was visible to me until we practically came right over the top of the body was the life jacket. The jacket appeared to be on in the normal way.”

After some difficulty he and his assistants managed to get the body aboard the Nella. The body was dressed in an oilskin jacket and singlet. Witness said he understood the body was later identified as that of James McEwan. John Inkster, of 38 Luxmore road, said that between November 25 and November 28, he and the crew of the Norseman were engaged in the search. On November 28 the Norseman left Timaru for a position where a lifeboat from the Holmglen had been located the night before. The position was north and inshore from where the Holmglen had foundered.

About 4.30 p.m. the search was abandoned on radioed instructions from the Timaru harbourmaster (Captain F. J. Callan).

“At the time we received the message we were cruising in wreckage floating in the sea,” said the witnecs.

“I noticed a large flock of black sea birds sitting on the water amongst the wreckage. I made in that direction and found the body of a man floating in the water. The body had apparently been attacked by the sea birds. “There was a life jacket on the body in the normal position. After some difficulty we got the body aboard the Norseman.” Later the body was identified as that of Wilfred Harding.