TRAGIC ADVENTURE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 73, 30 March 1929, Page 9

TRAGIC ADVENTURE

TWO MEN DROWNED

SWEPT AWAY BY WAVES

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, 29th March

Two men fishing on tlio Breakwater at the port of New Plymouth wore swe.pt off by a huge wave this morning and drowned. They were:

Albert Therkleson, engineer, employed at a foundry, aged 2s, married, with four children.

Ernest Edward Thomas, road-roller driver, employed by the Borough Council, aged about 30, married, with one child. . ■

The bodies had not been recovered this evening. Tho breakwater which shelters the harbour is a wide concrete wall jutting nearly half a mile into the sea. This morning heavy seas driven by the westerly wind were crashing over the wall at intervals. The two men gamed the end of the breakwater'by dodging the waves. A number of people who saw tliom realised their danger, but could do nothing in' time to avert disaster. At the extreme end of the wall the men, although drenched, were, seen to commence lishing. Within a few minutes a huge wave crashed upon the pier, sweeping both merf into the seething water. Two boys, paddling a canoe in sheltered water, went out and picked up one man's hat, and the Harbour Board launch within a few minutes thoroughly searched tho locality, but tho men wore not seen again.

Both were : experienced fishermen who knew tho harbour well, and many residents who had a full view of the tragedy were amazed at their daring in-attempting to reach tho end of the wall. Thomas, distinguishable by his size from Therkclson, was seen to bend down as the wave struck tho outer side of the wall, and then he was sent headlong into the foaming water on the harbour side ; where it is probable he would strike against ragged rubble flanking the wall. Therkleson who was standing on a concrete block over the end of the wall, was simply smothered in the. frothing waves.