CRASH INTO SEA

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 99, 21 January 1935, Page 10

CRASH INTO SEA

Well-known Cinema Manager Drowned FLIGHT IN FOG Plane’s Wing Touches Water and Overturns PASSENGER SWIMS ASHORE By Telegraph. —Press Association. Christchurch, January 20. An aeroplane which was returning from Blenheim to Christchurch yesterday afternoon came down in the sea near Waipara. The pilot, Mr. N. Roake, was drowned. Mr. Cecil Haigh. a passenger, swam ashore unhurt. Both men were employees of Christchurch Cinemas, Ltd. Mr. Roake was manager of the Regent Theatre and Mr. Haigh manages the Majestic Theatre. Mr. Roake leaves a widow and one child.

The weather was very thick and foggy and visibility was bad. Mr. Roake was flying close to the ground in an endeavour to keep the eoastline in view. When the aeroplane was about seven miles north of the Waipara river, the pilot suddenly caught sight of a cliff immediately in front. He swerved violently to the left and a wing touched the "water. The machine overturned and plunged nose-first into the sea. Mr. Roake and Mr. Haigh were both

strapped in their seats and both were under the .surface of the water. They managed to struggle out of the cockpits and fight their way to the surface. Both floundered in the water, severely handicapped by their heavy and baggy flying costume, but each man found temporary relief in the detached wheels of their machine. Mr. Haigh continued to float with the aid of his wheel, but Mr. Roake decided to make for the shore. He swam about a hundred yards, visibly exhausted, and reached a rock to which he clung until dashed off by the sea. He must then have struck his head on the rock, for he disappeared. Mr. Haigh reached him in the end and succeeded in dragging him to the beach but it was too late to save his life. Mr. Haigh set off for assistance and walked for five hours over extremely rough and barren country before he reached the house of Mr, William Macintosh, e<ght miles from Waipara township. Mr. Haigh insisted on returning with the search party as soon as he arrived, but the searchers could find no trace of Roake until this morning. The body was brought in by packhorse in the mid-afternoon. The aeroplane, a moth owned by the Canterbury Aero Club, is completely wrecked and its position is so remote and inaccessible that no salvage will be possible. The tail projects a few feet above the water at low tide.

Mr. Richard Noel Roake, the victim o£ the tragedy, who was about 36 years of age, was a son of Mr. George Roake, for some years huntsman of the Hambolton hounds. England, and before that huntsman of the Meath hounds, Ireland, where deceased was born. He served in the Imperial Army during the war as a lieutenant in the 9th Hussars. After the war Mr. Robke came out to New Zealand, and for some time stayed with his uncle, Mr. R. Roake, of Daunevirke. Later he was on the staff of the motor department of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-operative Association. He had been in Christchurch for about four years, having been appointed, manager of the Regent Theatre when it was originally opened. He held an air pilot’s ticket, and was in the habit of taking refresher courses at the Wigram flying field.

Mr. Roake was also well known in golfing circles. He married Miss Doreen Newbigin, formerly of Hastings, and leaves a son, three years of age. Mr. Cecil Haigh, who is about 28 years old, is a son of Mr. Claude Haigh, publicity manager of Christchurch Cinemas, Ltd., and was at one time in the Government Tourist Office. Later he took over the managership of the Grand Theatre in Christchurch, and when the Majestic Theatre was opened in that city about four years ago he was transferred there.