Sharks attack family; two boys die

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33577, 4 July 1974, Page 15

Sharks attack family; two boys die

(N.Z. Frets Association—Copyright) FLORIDA. July 3. The crew of a Qiast Guard plane overhead could only watch helplessly yesterday as Edward Horne, aged 43, his wife, Diane, aged 34, and their five children battled against sharks after the family’s yacht had sunk in the Gulf of Mexico.

One huge shark struck 10-year-old Billy Horne, tearing a gaping wound in his ami and shoulder. Another swain between the kicking legs of Mrs Home.

But the desperate family,, kicking and slapping, warded off their attackers until the plane guided a pleasure boat to their rescue. Help, how- ( ever, came too late for Billy, ■ who bled to death, and three-year-old Edward jun.,' who died of shock and ex-1 posure.

"Everybody, beware of the water," said Mr Horne from; his hospital bed. "You do | not know the sharks are' there until they strike.”

The Hornes, their two J daughters, Diana Jo, aged 14, and Melissa, aged 4 and a son, Gerald aged 14, were admitted to hospital last night for shock and ex-; posure. Mr Home, a Houston; motel broker, also suffered; severe lacerations on his hands and feet when his 43- i foot motor yacht, Princess I Diana, disintegrated in a freak storm on Monday, night about 35 miles South-) east of Carabelle, Florida.' The Homes, who left four \ other children in Texas, I

were on a leisurely cruise to the Bahamas.

In spite of Coast Guard and Weather Bureau forecasts of “beautiful weather," Mr Horne said the yacht was struck by a storm two hours out of port.

“Waves were coming clear up over the flying bridge The waves were 12 to 15 feet over the boat. They literally ripped off the cabin. We sank in 15 minutes." Mr Home sent out a distress call over his radio and equipped his family with life-jaqkets. They tied themselves together with a rope connected to a life ring and drifted in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Coast Guard seard plane spotted them 13 hour later. So did the sharks. “We didn’t see the sharl until the very last.” said V Home. “The shark hit it boy just as the plat spotted us. Why the sha just hit him is somethinr will never be able to fig' lout as long as I live."