RESCUE FROM SEA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20604, 4 November 1941, Page 4

RESCUE FROM SEA

CRASHED AIRMAN LIFE-SAVERS’ PROMPT AID WRECKED PLANE SINKS (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Suffering from shock and injuries to his nose, the pilot of a Royal New Zealand Ait Foret plane from Taierl station was rescued by two members of the St. Clair Surf Life-Saving Club when his machine plunged into the sea nearly half a mile off the beach yesterday morning.

The accident occurred practically in front of the esplanade, and, but for the fact that Mr. Hugh Devlin, a beach patrol, and Mr. Stewart Algie were within easy reach of the beach, the pilot of the plane, Pilot-Officer Darcy Bertram Christopher, might have been drowned.

A jreavy rain squall swept the beach shortly after he was brought ashore, and the machine sank in 20 or 30ft. of water. The plane flown by PilotOfficer Christopher was one of two which were circling over the sea at St. Clair about 11 o’clock. It was flying at a low altitude when, according to' several onlookers, it suddenly dived into the water well beyond the last line of breakers. It disappeared below the water and the tail then rose above the surface. Mr. Devlin was standing on the esplanade watching the two machines, and on seeing the crash he ran to the club house, donned bathing shorts, and, with assistance, carried the surf boat down . to. the water’s edge. By this time Mr. Algie had arrived on the beach and the two men set out through the breakers for the plane which, from the boat, was not always visible. The journey out to the machine was accomplished in less than 20 minutes, and as they approached, the two men saw the pilot sitting on the tail of the plane. He had removed his heavy flying suit and boots and waved cheerily to his rescuers. He took a paddle on the way back, and as soon as he reached the beach he was taken to a waiting ambulance and removed to the public hospital suffering from shock and injuries to his nose.

Pi lot-Officer Christopher is a former secretary of the St. Clair Surf LifeSaving Club and had himself taken part in several rescues in the past Salvage equipment was brought in from the Taieri station, but because the surf had become fairly rough by this time, plans to recover the machine were abandoned for the day.