THREE DAYS ADRIFT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10489, 14 October 1926, Page 6

THREE DAYS ADRIFT

MISSING LAUNCH- FOUND CREW ALL WELL CHRISTCHURCH, Get. 13. The missing launch Dauntless was sighted IV the ferry steamer Maori this morning, and the three men, John McNeill, Patrick McLean, and Paddy Brien, were picked tip at 5 a.m,. all Are] 1. They left Lyttelton to fish at 8.30 a,.m. on Sunday morning, and should have returned by noon, but heavy seas sprang up and the petrol gave outAll hope of their safety Ai'as giA'en up last night because of the big storm Avliksh was raging, and the fact that they had not been seen anywhere round Banks Peninsula. The Dauntless had been Imffettcd by the boating southerly and raging seas. Water got into the magneto on Sunday afternoon, and the engine was useless. A sail was hoisted, buc it carried away during ..Sunday night. On Monday a makeshift sail was rigged up, and by the: aid of this the men, all experienced seamen, kept the craft in the track of the ferry steamers, in spite of the terrible weather. The Maori was late this morning, otherwise she: would have passed the launch in the dark, and probably not seen it.

When picked up the men vm e iemarkably fit, though they had neither food nor drink. Since Sunday at noon they had drifted -JO miles up the coast.—P.A.