NUGGETS TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 25617, 18 October 1945, Page 4

NUGGETS TRAGEDY

FISHERMAN CROWNED DINGHY SWAMPED IN BREAKERS While negotiating ' heavy breakers close in-shore in the vicinity of the Nuggete lighthouse about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, a dinghy containing two men was swamped and one of the occupants was drowned. He was John Douglas Bramble Cross, aged 20 years, a fisherman, of Bluff. The survivor was a Maori from Bluff named Peter Karetai, also a fisherman, who managed to struggle ashore in an exhausted condition.

Constable Boyle, of Balclutha, left for the scene of the tragedy shortly after it occurred, and although the search for the body was continued today it had not been recovered rap to noon.

The dinghy -was swamped about 30yds from the Nuggets beach while the two men were returning to the fishing trawler Keno, which had proceeded from Bluff to operate off Nugget Point. They had landed Norman Henry ltoderique, the skipper of the trawler', in the vicinity' of the lighthouse, and were negotiating the breakers when the dinghy was swamped and the two men were thrown into the sea. Hampered by heavy clothing and gum hoots, both men struggled desperately, and were unable to cling to the dinghy, which was swept away. Cross called out for help, and Roderique returned to the beach, but could not see any sign of him or the oraft.

The Balclutha and Owaka police were notified from the lighthouse of the tragedy, and a search party left for the scene. The dinghy was located, but not Cross's body. The two men were members of a crew of five on the Keno, which was anchored well off shore when the fatality occurred.