BELIEVED DROWNED

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30041, 28 January 1963, Page 8

BELIEVED DROWNED

Youth Missing After Rathe

A youth who disappeared while bathing at North Beach yesterday afternoon te believed to have teen drowned. A widespread search by members of surf dubs and the Sumner lifeboat foiled to find the body. Tte youth is Lndeey Alan Waters. an apprentice mechanic, of 133 Simeon street, Spreydon. He is the son of Mr and Mrs L. A Waters.

Waters left his home yesterday morning to cycle to North Beach with seven or eight other youths for a bathe. About 2.15 pm. Waters and another youth were about 200 yards south of the North Beach Surf Club pavilion and were both knocked over by a wave. The other youth decided to go ashore. They were outside the patrolled area. Forty-five minutes later, when Waters, had not returned to the group on the beech, they went to the North Beach Surf Club pavilion and reported he wee missing. Most of the club members were taking part in a surf carnival at Waimairi. One of the members on patrol duty at North Beach telephoned the Waimairi Club and an announcement was made over the loud speakers, asking the North Beach Club members to return. The junior and senior canoe events at the carnival were postponed. The New Brighton Club’s surf boat. Nu Soy, was rowed down the coast to take part in the search and a surf canoe was taken by road from Waimaiiri to North Beach. Mr R. Dalton, a member of the North Beach Club, paddled a surf ski back to the club and made a search close to the shore. The surf canoe patrolled a little further out and the surf boat was further out to sea. Lifeboat Called The Sumner lifeboat siren was sounded and the boat manned by seven or eight men, was launched quickly. It made sweeps up as far as Waimairi beach. It returned to Sumner about 6.30 pm.

The breakers were falling heavily at the time when the youth disappeared and there was a strong drift to the south. The missing youth’s clothes and towel were found on the beach Waters could not swim. Members of the North Beach Surf Club made a further search about 830 p.m. but without success. The search will be resumed early this morning.