MISSING ON RAFT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30264, 17 October 1963, Page 24

MISSING ON RAFT

Willis Sighted By N.Z. Ship

(N.Z. Preu Association) WELLINGTON, October 15.

Mr William Willis, the 70-year-old American who is making a voyage by raft from Peru to Australia, was sighted on August 16 by the New Zealand Shipping Company’s cargo ship Whakatane, now at Wellington, during her passage from Panama to New Zealand.

Mr Willis, according to an overseas report, had not been sighted since leaving Callao on July 5 and a look-out request to airline pilots had been made by his wife at Los Angeles.

The Whakatane came within 200 yards of the raft and made a complete circle. There was one man on it, wearing a pair of blue shorts, and he waved at the ship. He seemed healthy, and there were no distress signals.

Although passengers and crew lined the Whakatane’s rails, the ship did not come close enough to Mr Willis to have conversation. The chief radio officer (Mr D. J. Lendrum) on radio watch wt the time, said that no messagt either by radio transmitted or Morse was received.

The United States CoaA Guard was advised.