Wahine Death Toll Expected To Be 51

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31655, 16 April 1968, Page 24

Wahine Death Toll Expected To Be 51

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 15. Police believe that three persons are still missing after the Wahine disaster. With 48 bodies recovered and identified, this would bring the death toll to 51. The search by police and civilians of Wellington Harbour and its approaches is continuing.

Chief Superintendent J. W. Saunders told a press conference today that although police were still checking names of survivors with unreconciled names on the passenger list it was almost certain that three persons were missing.

He said the unreconciled list had been whittled down to seven but the police were coafident of accounting for four of the names soon. Mr Saunders said the police were confident they would be able to reach final figures for dead, missing and survived. He said, however, there was a “remote” possibility that others were missing for whom no records were held at all. The checking of the list of survivors was still going on to eliminate duplications and

the list still had about 25 more names than the passenger list of 605. The task of reconciling names on the passenger list with survivors had priority. With the naming of a sixth member of the crew among the dead today the 122 members of the crew are now accounted for. Police have now identified the 48 bodies recovered after the Wahine disaster on Wednesday. Further Victims They released the names of four more dead today, bringing to 48 the number of dead

whose next of kin have been notified. They were: Neil Douglas Gutschlag, aged 20, of 70 Victoria Avenue, Invercargill. Cecil James Wassen, aged 58, of 13 Tarana Street, Camp Hill, Brisbane. John Spencer Ross, aged 33. of 5 Cortinna Crescent, Porirua, a member of the crew. Mrs Gladys May Landreth, aged 59. of 8 Norman Street, Dunedin.

Presumed Missing The names of the three persons presumed missing are: John Alfred Cox, of 5A Maidavale Road, Roseneath, Wellington. Philip Stephen Hicks, aged two, of 7 Titoke Road, Christchurch. Mr B. Page, of Dunedin. Names To Check The names of the other four whom police expect to account for soon ..re: Mrs Colleen Brougham, of 72 Lombard Street, Christchurch. Mrs L. D. Brown, of Christchurch. Mr V. Hongoe, of Christchurch. Mrs B. A. Tait, of Napier. 13 In Hospital This morning 13 of the 64 Wahine survivors who were admitted to hospital last week were still patients. A 15-month-old boy, Gordon Hick, admitted to Wellington Hospital after the disaster, is still in a serious condition.