THREE MEN DROWNED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 91, 13 January 1944, Page 4

THREE MEN DROWNED

Cook Strait Tragedy LAUNCH FOUNDERS IN HIGH SEAS

One Survivor Rescued

While returning from Tory Channel with a crew of four well-known Wellington citizens on Tuesday afternoon, the launch Warrigal ran into heavy weather off Cape Terawhiti, sprang a leak, and sank. Three men jvere drowned, and the fourth was rescued on Tuesday night, while clinging to the launch’s dinghy, by the ferry steamer Matangi, and taken to Nelson, where he was sent to hospital for observation. The men were:— DROWNED. Mr. A. W. Nisbet, 51 Brunswick Street, Lower Hutt, director of vocational training for disabled soldiers and controller of the Hutt Valley Harbour Auxiliary E.P.S. Mr. R. I. M. Sutherland, barrister and solicitor, 10 Hume Street, Lower Hutt, practising in Wellington under the name of Croker and Sutherland. Mr. E. W. R. Haldane, barrister and solicitor, 3 Pharazyn. Street, Lower Hutt, practising in Lower Hutt under the name of Haldane and Taylor. RESCUED.

Mr. T. G. Taylor, barrister and solicitor, 22 Belvedere Road, Hataitai, practising in Wellington. When the launch sank about 2.45 p.m. on Tuesday, Mr. Nisbet was washed off and drowned. Messrs Taylor and Sutherland clung to the dinghy for

some time, but eventually Mr. Sutherland was washed off and drowned. When last seen, Mr. Haldane, who was wearing a lifebelt, was about 300 yards from -where Mr, Taylor was clinging to the dinghy. Interviewed at the Hospital at Nelson yesterday, Mr. Taylor said that Mr. Nisbet, who bought the launch about 12 months ago, and Mr. Haldane took the craft across the strait from the Hutt River to Pelorus Sounds some days before Christmas.

“Last Sunday we joined the Warrigal about 3 o’clock Jn the afternoon at Yncyca Bay for Ine return to Wellington. We left at 11.40 at night, struck a westerly outside the Sounds, and sheltered at Melville Cove, anchoring at 10 minutes past ■ midnight. Next morning at 7 o’clock we left again, rounded Jackson’s Head, nnd arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound in calm water at 11.30 a.m. At 4.30 in the afternoon we were off once more, heading for Tory Channel, which we reached at 6.55 without'untoward incident. Mr. Perano lent us one of his moorings and said he would give us a weather report next morning. Mr. Nisbet went with Mr. Perano to the top of the hill, and Mr. Perano said the sea was a choppy one, but he thought if we waited for an hour or an hour and a half after the tide ran out it might calm the seas down. He also told us that if we found it rough in the rip to run up the const during the change. “Before we left Mr. Perano warned us that the Union Shipping Company had telephoned asking for a report on the weather to see whether it was suitable •for one of the company’s boats. Just .about that time a keeler and another yacht bound for Wellington headed out r.f Torr Channel. After further consultation, we decided that with the-power we had we would have a better show of crossing than the two boats .which went out. We sailed out at 11.35 in the morning. and after getting clear of the channel found clear sailing water for about an hour and a half. We then ran into a wind and heavy sea. High Seas. “The seas were so high that it was impossible to make any distance toward Wellington, and we kept her bead into the weather out to sea. The waves were so high that occasionally the boat slid off the top, and it is to that I attribute the mishap. ... , , “We made fair time till we reached the first rin and at 2.25 Mr. Haldane, who was in the. forward cabin, told ns fliat we had sprung a bad leak. Water poured in and buckets and the pump made impression. Seeing that the boat was doomed, we lashed together empty oil drums and tied them to the dingny, and had just completed this when she sank nose first at 2.45 o’clock. . . “IV e had a bit of “trouble freeing the din-hv as the launch was going down. When the dinghy came up there were three of us elingiug to it. Mr. Sutherland. Mr. Nisbet and myself. Mr. Haldane had one of rhe two lifebelts and was some distance away. “The waves kept breaking oyer the dinghy, causing us to change position as she turned, find with the three of us hangir.g oa it was always awash or under “After about an hour Str. Nisbet, who had transferred his hold from the dinghy to one of the drums; told us he could not hang on much longer. At that time he was about 20 yards from the dinghy. After a short while ho released his hold on the drum. Wo watched him for a while but it was difficult on account vj tlio breakers. When we looked a second time he was gone. . “That left Mr. Sutherland and myself hanging on to the dinghy. The tide at this time was carrying the ‘dinghy toward the shore, and Mr. Sutherland and I discussed the possibility of dingin'’ on till we were washed ashore. However, after two hours, apprpximately. Mr. Sutherland must, have been suffering verv badly from the cold, because he found it difficult to retain his hold, and he was unable to talk. Twice he lost his grip on the dinghy and I went after him and got him back with great difficulty. , , . i “A huge wave broke over the boat ana carried us both under. M hen I came up he was about 20 yards away. He remained on the surface for only a few moments and disappeared. “I maintained my hold on the dinghy .while being washed toward the shore. At about sundown both wind ap,d tide appeared to shift, nnd I found myself carried out of the rip into comparatively calm water. From sundown onward I was able to keep my head above water all the time.

“It was completely dark till the moon came from behind a cloud and I could see there was no possibility of being washed to land. I had lost all sense of time and just determined to hang on to the dinghy hoping that the tide, opposite to what was taking me out to sea, might bring me to shore. I took one of my very few glances behind me and saw in the distance a white and green light coming toward mo. I started to. shout and was able to keep .shouting till the boat came level with me, about 200 yards further out to sea. I saw it turn and come back. A light was flashed from the liont, and I called out, ‘Can you see me?’ and got the welcome reply, ‘Yes, hang on.’ “The first time the ship came by 1 was apparently not favourably situated,

very much in the rear. A voice from the boat told me to keep shouting. Next time the boat came alongside and threw me a flare with a buoy. It burst about 40 yards from me and I left the dinghy to swim to the buoy, but the advice from the ship was to get back, which I did. The dinghy drifted closer to the ship, and they threw a line, so I abandoned the dinghy. “Some men on the ship performed a remarkable feat in sliding over the side with ropes, catching hold of me, and tying a rope around me. Once I was tied I went flat out. One of them held me and I was pulled aboard, helped over the rail, and given a strong whisky. They pummelled me all over to restore my- circulation, gave me some strong coffee and wrapped me up in bed. “I last saw Mr. Haldane still holding to the lifebelt about 200 yards from me at the time when Mr. Sutherland sank.” Call Heard on Bridge.

The rescue of Mr. Taylor was described by Captain Wildman, of the Matangi. The Matangi was approximately two miles south or Terawhiti When the captain and third mate, who were on the bridge together, heard a shout. At first it was thought that the call had come from someone on deck, but when it was repeated a second time it was realized that it was from a person in the water. From the ship a man was sighted clinging to the submerged di’lghy. The Matangi was manoeuvred as close alongside as possible and a buoy with a Holmes light, which ignites on striking the water, was flung overboard to mark the position of the boat. When the dinghy was close enough the chief officer and boatswain of the Matangi climbed down to the belting of the boat and carried out the difficult task of hauling the man on board. They managed to secure a rope around the exhausted survivor who was then l-ulled up on deck. After his ordeal of nearly seven and a half hours in the water. Mr. Taylor was exhausted and suffering from cold. He was taken to the galley, where he lay oa a miittress in the warmth while his legs and body were massaged. He was given whisky, steaming hot coffee, and sandwiches before being put to bed. Half an hour after his call for help was first heard the Matangi was again under way. Captain Wildman yesterday morning commented on the remarkable strength of voice shown by Mr. Taylor to be able to make himself heard in such an exhausted condition. He had evidently been conserving his strength for such an effort. The third mate said that, though the weather was fairly calm, there was a considerable swell at the time Mr. Taylor was picked up. There had been a strong southerly, up to 35 miles an hour, in the strait for two days. Captain Wildman said the only previous rescue attempt he had experienced on the Nelson run was an unsuccessful attempt by the Arahura to pick up the survivors from a launch which foundered off Sinclair Head some years ago. The Warrigal, a well-built boat of about 35 feet, was formerly the Ethel. The police are searching the coast in the vicinity of Cape Terawhiti for wreckage of bodies but last night had lound nothing. The searchers did not return to the'city but stayed the night in the district and will continue searching this morning. South Island-based aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. took off at dawn and for four hours searched the area where the tragedy occurred, but without success, visibility was restricted to half a mile. The' two yachts reported to have left Tory Channel on Tuesday morning for Weilingtpn ahead of the ill-fated launch Warrigal had not arrived in port up till late last night. It is presumed that they found conditions too bad on Tuesday and returned to some sheltered bay in the Sounds. Though the wind had dropped there was still a considerable swell running in Cook Strait last night. Careers of Victims.

Robert lan Malcolm Sutherland, who was aged 38, was educated at New Plymouth High School and Victoria College. He played Rugby football for both his school and college, and after some years in law offices in Wellington, began practice on his own account. About five years ago he joined the late Mr. A. B. Croker, who died about a year ago, in partnership. Apart from law, Mr. Sutherland was keenly interested in aviation matters, and ot the time of his death held the position of treasurer of the ijtoyal New Zealand Aero Club. He also served for some time in the Naval Auxiliary Patrol Service. He married Miss L. P. Cornford, Napier, and there are two children, aged four and two years. Mr. Sutherland had been doing an increasing amount of court work, and was highly regarded by his colleagues. Mr. A. AV. Nisbet had over three years’ active service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, during which time he held , various administrative appointments, the last being that of adjutant to the 3rd Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade when the division had the unenviable task of holding the peak of the Ypres salient in 1017 in the famous Polygonne Wood sector. Returning from the war, Mr. Nisbet was one of the foundation members of the Marlborough Aero Club. On coming to Wellington, he formed the Hutt Valley Aero Chib, later incorporated in the Wellington Aero Club, of which lie became secretary in 1931. When he left that position. Mr. Nisbet became .secretary of the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association, remaining there till he joined the Department of Labour about two and a half years ago as organizer of trade training schools throughout the Dominion. Mr. Nisbet was also a former member of the Industrial Emergency Council. An enthusiastic yachtsman for many years, he was controller of the Hutt ’Valley Harbour Auxiliary E.P.S. He leaves a wife and adult family. Mr. Haldane was born at Takaka 41 years ago. He was educated ,at Nelson College and studied at Victoria University College, obtaining the degree of LL.M, He first practised his profession as a servant of the Public Trust Office, but 16 years ago entered private practice with his brother, Mr. A. M. Haldane, at Lower Hutt. Since 1936, when Mr. A. M. Haldane became partner in a Wellington teal firm, he has had as partner Miss M. Taylor. His brother is now a member of the Air Force. The late Mr. Haldane leaves a widow and son aged 10. He bad been interested in yachting and launching for a long time and at one