THE STORMBIRD

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 58, 6 September 1916, Page 8

THE STORMBIRD

INQUEST ON THE DROWNED MEN.

An inquest on the bodies of the three men, John William Hinchey, Robert Kyle, and James Hunter, who were drowned, in the wreck of the Stormbird, was held at Wanganui on Monday, before Mr. W. Kerr, S. M. (Coroner). Arthur Sutherland Gibson deposed :— I was the master of the s.s. Stormbird, that traded between Wellington and Wanganui. John William Hinchey signed on the vessel as able seaman. He acted as lamp trimmer. He was aboard the ship in November, 1915. Robert Kyle was engaged as fireman on board the Stormbird. I left Wanganui wharf at 11 p.m. on Saturday, 2nd September. We had a very small amount of cargo on board. When we arrived at the Heads, the vessel went ashore at the south mole, aud after a while the vessel broke through the tip, and tbe two mon were washed off and drowned. Kyle was drowned about 1 o'clock on the morning of the 3rd September, and Hinchey was drowned a few minutes later. I believe both men were somewhere near seventy years of age. Kyle was fully dressed when he was drowned. The action of the sea would strip his clothes off. A third man, named James Hunter, a fireman, was also drowned. He was drowned somewhere about midnight. About that time I ordered all hands to abandon the ship. Hunter, in company with others, went forward, and made a jump at the wrong moment to get ashore, a.nd fell into the sea. I saw his body pass-the ship, apparently dead or unconscious.

The Coroner. Mr. W. Kerr, S.M., returned a verdict of death by drowning through misadventure. The body of the third man who was drowned, James Hunter, fireman, was recovered on Monday, near the mouth of the Wangaehu River.

The Putiki, which arrived in Wellington at 1.10 o'clock' this morning from Wanganui, brought four members of the crew of the Stormbird. They were Messrs. R. Hunt (mate),* W. C. F. Richardson (engineer), H. Williams (steward), and T. Keegaii (seaman). Other members were brought to Wellington by train. Captain Gibson will remain at Wanganui to be present at the enquiry. '

Robert Logan, A.8., states that he was the last man to leave the wrecked steamer. He was brought to safety by means of a basket and the life line.

The enquiry into the wreck of the Stormbird has been fixed to take place at Wanganui on 13th September. Up to the present no assessors have been appointed.