OKURU DROWNING

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1946, Page 6

OKURU DROWNING

HOW IKAMATUA YOUTH LOST LIFE ACCIDENT AT RIVER The events which led to the drowning of an Ikamatua youth, Patrick Joseph Prendergast, in South Westland on Wednesday, were related to-day when police officers from Hokitika flew to Okuru to open an inquest. The loss of telephonic communication with' the remote southern township prevented the obtaining of details yesterday. According to the Hokitika police, three Prendergast brothers, Patrick, Phillip and Rea, had been preparing for a deerstalking expedition, and,

after the three had secured twi horses, Patrick commenced to swiir one across the Turnbull river. A: this spot the river was about 14ft deep and before the deceased anc the horse had moved far into the stream, the animal . commenced tc struggle and Prendergast slippec from its back. He managed to gel a grip on the horse’s mane, but the animal continued to flounder and the youth, who was fully clothed, slowly lost his grip and became submerged. The two brothers were spectators of the accident, and, though the elder brother, Phillip, dived into the river, he was unable to save the horseman’s life. The horse, exhausted from its exertions', failed to gain the opposite bank and was also drowned. In the meantime, the younger boy, Rea, ran for assistance. After about an hour’s searching, the' body was found about six yards downstream, from the spot where the accident occurred. Artificial respiration applied for about two hours proved unsuccessful. The body of the deceased was flown to Greymouth this afternoon, and the funeral will take place tomorrow from Ikamatua.