Holed Launch’s Race To Shore

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31255, 30 December 1966, Page 10

Holed Launch’s Race To Shore

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, December 29.

A launch with two Auckland families on board was holed several miles out to sea and they barely won a race against the incoming seawater to run it safely aground on a point near the entrance to the Whangarei Harbour this afternoon.

The 45ft launch, the Lady Pat, was holed while several miles off the Northland coast early in the afternoon.

For nearly an hour radio calls for help such as “Mayday, Mayday, can anyone hear me” were heard from the Lady Pat on several receivers. Because the receiver on the launch was not working, replies to the signal went unheard and details of the help needed and the nature of the emergency were not given. Almost two hours after the launch was holed the crew managed to run it ashore on Big Point, near Bream head, where it was sighted by a Northland Harbour Board launch.

The crew of seven or eight, members of two Auckland families, were taken safely to shore and the Lady Pat was left on the rocks.

The leader of the group was Mr C. H. Moeller, of 10 Jellicoe avenue, Mount Roskill.

The launch radioed for assistance to be sent to the Lady Pat only to have the situation complicated by a signal from Tutukaka to say that the Lady Pat—another launch of the same name—was safely in the harbour.

The harbour board pilot boat, Manaia, went to investigate and found the damaged Lady Pat aground on some rocks.