TAURANGA TRAGEDY— Nineteen Lives Lost In Wreck Of Launch

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1950, Page 2

TAURANGA TRAGEDY— Nineteen Lives Lost In Wreck Of Launch

TAURANGA, This Day (P.A.).—A certain total of 18 people lost their lives and one is thought to have done so when the Tauranga launch, Ranui, owned by Mr E. G. Williams, of Tauranga, was completely wrecked near north rock, Mount Maunganui, at 5.45 p.m. yesterday. n This morning seven bodies had been identified, of a total pt I*s recovered, leaving six still missing. It appears from information so far received by the police that there were 20 people on board the launch when it left Mayor Island for Tauranga. The only survivor was Phillip Henry Gordon Smith, aged 20, or Tauranga. His father, deckhand on the launch, was among those who lost their lives. The disaster occurred when the 45ft passenger launch was returning to Tauranga after taking a party of campers and a few fishermen to Mayor Island earlier in the day. The complete'list of those who were believed to have been on board the launch is as follows:— . Ernest Guenter Unger, aged about 24, of 90 River road, Hamilton. ' Richard John Willis, aged about 50, married, with two children, of Glen terrace, To Puke. Ivan Clifford Moore, aged about 31, married, with two children, of Waipawa. Allan Albert Moore, aged 29, married, with two children, of Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay. Jack R. Williams, aged about 26, married, of Hamilton. Ivan Penwarden, aged about 43, married, with seven childien, of Mangakino. Lloyd Penwarden, aged about 27, single, of Mangakino. Lindsay Laing, formerly of Ngaruawahia, and now believed Io be of Remuera. I. H. Bartz, aged about 26, married, of Welcome Bay. A. H. Bartz, aged about 69, of Gate Pa. G. P. Bartz, aged about 35, of Omokoroa. Jack Norman, of Tehoi, near Putaruru. Geoffrey Harnett, married, of Tauranga. Harry Smith, aged 50 years, Cameron road, Tauranga. Gordon Hunt, of Mt Maunganui. Miss Joyce Beggs, of Palmerston North. Miss M. Hands, of Abel Smith street, Wellington. Miss P. K. Burke, aged 19 years, of Gisborne. Miss M. Goodyear, Derby street, Gisborne.

The launch, it is believed, struck rocks at the entrance to the Tauranga harbour and broke up immediately in very heavy seas. The conditions made rescue work difficult and dangerous. Because the captain of the Ranui (Mr Geoffrey Harnett, of Tauranga) was among the victims, the number of passengers on board could not be ascertained definitely. Several rescuers endangered their lives, and two were admitted to the Tauranga Hospital. Others were put to bed at the Oceanside Hotel at The Mount.

Rescuers Injured The rescuers who were admitted to the Tauranga Hospital were Mr S. R. Dawson, aged 27, married, of Matamata, with lacerations to the legs, and Mr Max Brown, aged 22, single, of Hinuera, who suffered shock. Mr Brown was found unconscious and was revived in the kitchen of Dr V J. McLean, of Mount Maunganui. A St John ambulance hut on the beach was used as a temporary morgue. ' The Ranui sailed from Tauranga at about 8 o’clock yesterday morning and landed the party of campers on Mayor Island about midday. Mr Harnett then reported to Mr McCurdy at the radio station that he was leaving for the fishing grounds with a small complement of passengers. Big Seas Running When Mr McCurdy again called the Ranui at 4.20 p.m. he was told that the vessel had sailed from Mayor Island at 3 p.m. Big seas were running, but all on board were well. The wind, which was about force six or seven, was changing from north-east to north-west. “A quarter of an hour after the none more than 6ft long, were left none morethan 6ft long, were left where the wreck had been,” said Mr L. W. Schubert, of the Piha Lifesaving Club, who, with his brother, Mr D. Schubert, was among the many rescuers. “The bodies were brought in over a stretch of rugged, rocky, dangerous coastline.” Mr Schubert said that dozens of attempts were made to bring victims in through the lashing surf. Most of the bodies had to be brought out of the back drag of the tide by men in belts.

“The call came soon after 5.30 p.m. and the rescuers were out there without any clothing on until night,” added Mr Schubert.

Members of the crew of the yacht Tainui, of Auckland, were walking on The Mount and watching the launch come in. Suddenly it capsized, apparently just inside the bar and they “saw people flung in all directions.” One of the party ran half a mile to the Oceanside Hotel to give the alarm. No Chance Of Rescue

Other eye-witnesses described the sea which vzas running as “dreadful.” There was no chance of saving all the victims. Most of the rescuers suffered cuts and other injuries from rocks on to

which they were hurled by the surf and some had to be rescued themselves. All those involved praised members o'f the Mount Maunganui Surf Life-saving Club for their efforts m the rescue work and the staff of the Oceanside Hotel where the rescuers were put to bed. Three doctors attended to the injured men.