Man And Rescuers Swept To Sea

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31413, 5 July 1967, Page 1

Man And Rescuers Swept To Sea

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, July 4.

A 75-year-old man and two fishermen who went to his rescue are missing in the Hauraki Gulf after heavy seas and a gale drove them out to sea late this afternoon.

Search attempts have been frustrated by a gale, heavy rain and high seas, but the shores of the gulf are being patrolled tonight and a helicopter is due in the morning.

Allan Norman Perham, of Te Puru, was swept out to sea when his 12-foot dinghy was caught in a current about 4 p.m.

His wife, watching from the shore, raised the alarm. Two men, Charles Sydney Alfred Ross, aged 53, and Ken-

neth Gordon Gleeson, aged 53, both of Te Puru, immediately launched their 12-foot boat to go to Mr Perham’s rescue. Their motor broke down before they could reach Mr Perham, who was being driven further out into the gulf. A third boat, belonging to the Thames fishing fleet, attempted to join the rescue attempt, but was holed only a short distance from the river mouth.

Police were on the scene almost immediately and tried to get further help. No other craft were able to leave because of high seas, described by local fishermen as “the heaviest for several years.” Heavy rain fell during the early part of the search.

A gale has hampered searchers who are scanning the north-western side of the harbour tonight An Air Force helicopter is due in the search area early tomorrow morning. Local fishermen hold little hope for the men. Shore Searched

Powerful lights and tracker dogs are being used by the searchers across the harbour from Thames, but polite say little can be done apart from searching the shoreline until dawn.

Local fishermen described the current in the gulf as “unpredictable and dangerous.” Several rivers flow into the Firth of Thames. Mr Perham has been described as an experienced fisherman. His craft did not have a motor.

Messrs Ross and Gleeson are said to have a pair of oars and two life jackets with them on board their 12-foot plywood boat.