Planes Warn Of Sharks

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30636, 30 December 1964, Page 1

Planes Warn Of Sharks

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, December 29. Wanganui Aero Club planes swept ’low’ over Castlecliff and Mowhanau beaches this afternoon and dipped their wings to warn bathers of approaching shark schools.

At both beaches hundreds of bathers left the water.

It was the second successive afternoon that shark warnings had been given at the beaches. At Mowhanau four sharks were sighted by a plane piloted by Mr lan Wakeling, who dropped low over the water and dipped his wing in warning. At first many bathers took this as a form of greeting and waved back. Some, however, left the water. Mr Wakeling gave his warning about 3 p.m. and an

hour later Traffic Officer B. E. H. Robbins, of Wanganui, drove his patrol car to the cliff top overlooking the beach and issued another shark warning to the 200 to 300 bathers in the water. He used the car’s siren to warn the swimmers. A number of sharks were also spotted off Castlecliff by the Wanganui Aero Club's chief flying instructor, Mr .1. C. Roberton. The sea off both beaches was flat and clear today, and extremely hot weather attracted hundreds of people to the beaches.