DINGHY CAPSIZES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 20, 25 January 1937, Page 11

DINGHY CAPSIZES

TWO LIVES LOST TRAGEDY NEAR TAURANGA (By 'L'clearaph—l'rcsa Association.) TAURANGA, January 24. At about 11 o'clock this morning a party of six men set out in the keel yacht Rosina, which is fitted with an auxiliary engine, to fish outside the harbour on the ocean side of Mourn Maunganui. After the party had been fishing near Rabbit Island, off The Mount beach, the mainsail blew out. Finding the engine not powerful enough to-manage the yacht against the heavy westerly blowing, they decided to attempt to get ashore in a dinghy, which capsized. Alex Leslie and D. Boyes, Tauranga, and L. Donohua and C. E. Mandel, Glenafton, swam back to the yacht. Maurice O'Connell and George Best, also" of Glenafton, clung to the dinghy. The party aboard the yacht started the engine and attempted to reach the two clinging to the dinghy, who were unable to. swim. A Tope fouled the propeller and the attempt failed. Eventually both lost their hold. Best was washed ashore in the breakers on The Mount beach and sustained efforts to resuscitate him failed. A little later O'Connell's body came ashore. The dead bodies of the two young men were brought to the town by a launch which had been dispatched to the scene of the accident immediately news was received. The Harbour Board launch Reo also went out and towed the disabled yacht to the town with the other four aboard. The mainsail was seen to be in ribbons.