LAUNCH FOUNDERS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 198, 23 May 1928, Page 10

LAUNCH FOUNDERS

RUN DOWN BY SCHOONER YOUTH DROWNED Dominion Special Service.

Nelsen, May 22. Lyell Thomas William ‘ Galey, aged 17, a son of George Galey, of Washington Valley, was drowned outside the harbour entrance before daylight this morning through the launch he was in being struck by the Anchor Shipping Company's auxiliary schooner Te Aroha; - • . The launch left with a. crew of three —-Messrs. Thomson, F. Nicholls; and the lad Galey—at about 4 o'clock this morning for the bay. They had just cleared the harbour when the engine gave trouble and the launch lay helpless while repairs were being at-

tempted. The Te Aroha left the wharf at 5 a.in. and came into collision with the launch just outside the 'entrance. Thompson was in the engine-room fixing the engine when Nicholls shouted Out to him to go on deck. Nicholls 1 feared that Thompson would be trapped when the impact, came. Thomp.son saw at once that a collision was unavoidable. .Nicholls was waving a lantern, but there 'was no one visible

to them on the deck.of the schooner. All three occupants of the launch jumped' to the top of- the cabin just before the Te Aroha struck the launch abaft the engine-room and stove -in the hull. The launch turned over towards the schooner and the crew climbed round her until they got to the keel.'

The launch, which was now upside down, floated for about 15 minutes, and when she went down all made for a piece, of wooden staging from the boat. In the meantime the schooner had gone a considerable distance away. Thompson saw there was no hope for three on the staging, so he left it and swam towards the schooner, which he eventually reached, having' been altogether about half an hour in the water. The schooner circled round to look for Nicholls and . Galey, -who could be heard calling, and eventually Nicholls was .found in a very exhausted condition,' but the boy had gone. Until he became exhausted Nicholls clung to the boy,, but had to let go when his strength failed. Captain J. E. Stevens, master of the Te Aroha, was on the look-out on deck when the accident occurred, but could not see anything ahead of the schooner. Suddenly he heard cries and saw the launch alongside in a sinking condition. It was exceptionally dark at the time. The captain .endeavoured to rescue the crew of the launch straight away. After Thompson and Nicholls were picked up the schooner- circled in vain for a long time. The captain states that he did not see any lights on the launch until it was 1 alongside the schooner after the collision.

There is no trace of the body.

A preliminary inquiry was-held this afternoon' by the Collector of Customs.