NOTED YACHTSMEN KILLED BY SHOCK

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30391, 16 March 1964, Page 1

NOTED YACHTSMEN KILLED BY SHOCK

Aluminium Mast Touches High Tension Wire f.Vetr Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 15. Two men were killed at Te Atatu on Saturday morning when the aluminium mast of a yacht they were rigging accidentally touched a high tension wire. The men were stepping the 25-foot mast into a Flying Dutchman when it touched the 11,000-volt line. Attempts to keep the men alive continued for an hour and a half.

They were: Peter Hugh Simons, aged 33, an electrical contractor, married, the father of four children, of 71 Walters road, Otahuhu. Thomas Duncan Miller, aged about 30, a plasterer, married, of 10 Murray road, Te Atatu. Messrs Simons and Miller were working on the yacht at the home of Mr B. P. Wilson, of 120 Taikata road, Te Atatu. Mr Wilson had brought the boat from Tauranga on Friday with the intention of purchasing it. It was being prepared for Messrs Wilson and Simons to

use in the Flying Dutchman Olympic trials in June. The accident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. “Peter was working on the mast of the boat,” said Mr Wilson. “It was a new mast sent out from England as a gift. “1 was working on the boom under the house,” he said. The boat was in the driveway. “Tommy Miller happened to be passing and called in at the house. He was giving Peter a hand. I heard a crash as the mast fell and rushed outside. “They were both lying on the ground and I thought they had been knocked over by the mast,” said Mr Wilson. “I asked Peter if he was all right. He said: ‘Yes, have a look at Tommy’.” Mr and Mrs Wilson applied artificial resuscitation to the injured men. Neighbours also assisted.

An ambulance was rushed to the house and Ambulance Officer B. J. Dillon used two minuteman resuscitators on the men as they were taken to hospital. They failed to respond to treatment and died. Mr Wilson said later: “Peter had crewed with me for 15 years.” Both the dead men had national yacht championship wins to their credit. In 1946 Mr Miller was skipper of the Auckland boat which won the national Zclass championship for the Cornwell Cup. In 1958 he skippered the boat which won the national X-class championships for the Sanders Cup. Mr Simons was a member of the crew of the Sanders Cup winner in 1959. Mr Wilson was skipper of the boat.