FISHERMAN DROWNED

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 130, 3 June 1936, Page 10

FISHERMAN DROWNED

MATE'S NARROW ESCAPE A RUDDERLESS LAUNCH (From "Th» Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, May 21. At the mercy of huge seas off the Maroubra cliffs near Sydney, after a hooked fish had torn away the rudder of their launch, Robert Smith, 28, and •Frederick Dean had a terrific fight against unequal odds. Smith was drowned, but Dean reached safety after having been thrice washed on the rocks and drawn back into the boiling ocean. "How I got in, God only knows," said Dean later. "It was a chanco in a million."

The two men left on a trip to fish off the southern headland. It was so cold that Dean wore two suits 'of clothes and a sweater, and he was burdened by these in his remarkable swim for lifq. They were about 150 yards from the rocks, with the engine running, trailing for tailer. Smith and Dean each held a line and a third was attached to the tiller. Smith suddenly hooked a tailer and commenced to haul in when there was a terrific wrench on the line attached to the tiller. A second wrench tore the tiller out, and it was rapidly drawn away. The launch, an outboard craft, was < left floundering, the two men on board \ being unable to steer it. It was being rapidly swept inshore.

When the launch was about 80 yards from the rocks a huge wave broke over it, practically filling it with water. The engine by then had been switched off, and Dean made an effort to use? the emergency oars. Smith dived overboard, and swam further out to sea, away from the menacing rocks. Another wave swamped the launch, which capsized, throwing Dean out. He was sucked back and coming to the surface found himself trapped beneath the upturned launch. A third breaker swept the launch free of Dean, who seized the keel and clung on until h'e recovered his breath. He was again washed of! the launch, which was rushed to the rocks, where it was flung against the cliff and badly battered.

Turning. Dean saw Smith 200 yards at sea, and, realising that he could not reach him, burdened as he was with heavy clothing, struck out for the dangerous rocks. His hands touched them three times, and he was drawn back into the sea, before he was at length thrown out of the water.

Meanwhile, two men in another launch were striving desperately to save Smith, but could not approach within thirty yards of him owing to a surface reef. The men shouted directions to him and threw a rope, out Smith suddenly threw up his hands and disappeared. The body was found Wedged between two submerged rocks. Apparently Smith's feet had become wedged, and he was unable to release himself when the men threw him the life-line.

"It was the most terrible experience of my life," said Dean. "There was nothing I could do to save Bob Smith. I was within inches of death several times myself. If I hadn't been able to get a 'breather' on top of the upturned launch I must have also been drowned.''