FISHING TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1945, Page 2

FISHING TRAGEDY

TWO MEN DROWNED. BLENHEIM, December 10. Two men were washed overboard from a launch and drowned in Tory Channel, Queen Charlotte Sound, yesterday afternoon. They were Kenneth Fyfe, Blenheim, and Wallace Jellyman, 60, Blenheim. They were members of a deep sea fishing party of 14, which left Picton early in the morning,, and went cut as far as The Brothers. The return journey was made via Tory Channel. The launch had not long passed through the entrance when the steering gear gave way, and the boat was driven by a strong current on to the rocks. The first bump was followed by a heavy sea which washed Fyfe overboard, and ho was swept out into the channel by the strong undercurrent. Succeeding s°as washed Jellyman overboard. A rope thrown to him fell short, and before another attempt was possible the undercurrent had swept him away. A third member of the party, W. Ritchie, Blenheim, was also washed overboard, but managed to maintain a hold on the launch and was dragged back. While these events were happening with tragic suddenness on the deck, feverish attempts were made below to repair the steering. A file used to replace the broken split pin enabled the launch to be backed off the rocks, fortunately only slightly damaged, and for a while the boat made way in a circle just off the shore. Another split pin was then, discovered and the party made for the residence of A. E. Fishburn at Dryden’s Bay, where they telephoned the police. Searches were made by a whaling launch and by a police boat till dusk, but unsuccessfully, and the police search was resumed this morning. BOYS DROWNED. DARGAVILLE, December 9. Completely exonerating from blame anybody connected with the tragedy, Coroner J. A. McLean returned a verdict of death by accidental drowning in an adjourned inquest into the deaths of the boys, Edwin Joseph Berridge and Peter Davis, members of a Cub pack, and victims of a double drowning fatality at Parore last Saturday. The action of an 11-year-old member of the troop, Peter Vodanovich, in making determined efforts to save the two boys was commended by the coroner in the highest terms. For distress which the fatality caused to the mistress of the Cub pack, Miss McGowan, and her companion, Miss P. Smith, he extended the sympathy of the-parents and the coroner.