SHARK OVERTURNS DINGHY

Evening Star, Issue 21966, 28 February 1935, Page 17

SHARK OVERTURNS DINGHY

FISHERMAN IN PERIL [Peh United Press Association.] ' AUCKLAND, February 27. A member of a party fishing for schnapper off Puponga, in the Maiuikau Harbour, about three miles inside the Manukau Heads, had an experience that he is not likely soon to forget. He was seated l in a dinghy attached to a launch when a shark which Lad taken the bait from the launch attacked the dinghy, lifted it out of the water, and capsized it. While the fisherman, who could not swim, was struggling in the water the shark swam underneath him, but was prevented from attacking him by Mr M. Thornley, owner of the launch, who held on to the fishing line by which the shark was caught. The dinghy was tied l to the launch with a new 2in manila rope. This the shark, with one bite, snapped in two as if it had been a piece of thread. Mr Thornley immediately cut the line, and the shark escaped. Other members of the party then lifted their mate into the launch. Mr Thornley estimated the shark to be fully 14ft long. It was the biggest he had ever seen during the five years he had been running his launch on the Manukau.