FATAL YACHT ACCIDENT.

Evening Star, Issue 7405, 28 December 1887, Page 2

FATAL YACHT ACCIDENT.

AUCKLAND, December 27. The yacht Truant, with six men, went out for a ten days' cruise on Boxing Day, and was capsized in Bangitoto Channel by a squall, four of her crew being drowned—viz., Debney (artist), Hammond (son of an architect), Bankhart (artist), and Armstrong (son of Captain Armstrong). Two were saved by swimming two miles. The bodies have not yet been found. Later. Further particulars respecting the boat accident which resulted in the drowning of H. P. Bankhart, J. Armstrong, H. Hammond, and R. J. Debney show that they set out in the yacht Truant from St. George Bay at 7 a.m. yesterday, intending to go to Matakara. The yacht belonged to young Hammond, and the others left the handling of the vessel to the owner. A strong wind was blowing all day yesterday, and the sea was consequently very heavy. About eleven o'clock, when the vessel was off Gull Point and in the Rangitoto Channel, she was Btruck by a sudden squall, and instantly capsized and sank. The occupants of the yacht at once struck out for the shore, but only Richard Bankhart and G. J. Harker succeeded in reaching land—the other four above-named being drowned. H. P. Bankhart, one of the unfortunate youths drowned in the accident, was an artist of great ability, who had studied for some time at the Royal Academy, London, and at the South Kensington School of Art. He arrived in May last from England, with other members of his family, and was making arrangements to commence art education in the city. J. Armstrong and H. M. Hammond were well knowH in athletic circles, and R. J. Debney was an enthusiastic follower of art. A search for the bodies has been commenced.