BROTHERS DROWNED IN FISHING LAUNCH OFF THE RANGITIKEI

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1948, Page 4

BROTHERS DROWNED IN FISHING LAUNCH OFF THE RANGITIKEI

Two Companions Rescued in Choppy Sea P.A. PALMERSTON N., April 18. There was a tragic ending to a fishing expedition from the mouth of the Rangitikei River on Saturday, when two men lost their lives, while two others were rescued only with difficidty Those drowned were Arthur James Anderson, aged 46, single, of Kawakawa Road, Feilding, a well-known honey producer; and his brother, Neil Andrew Anderson, aged 59. of the same address. Those rescued were Alexander Buckman, of Grey Street, Feilding; and Neil Jensen, of Queen Street, F’eilding. The four men went to Tangimoana on Friday night. They left in a launch at 7 o’clock on Saturday morning. They fished successfully three to four miles out in the direction of Kapiti Island. They set out on their return journey at 1.15 p.m. On the way back a choppy sea developed, and when half a mile off the river mouth, a terrific volume of water came from nowhere on the beam of the launch. The launch rode up slowly on the wave. Then it was thrown upside down, with the four men underneath. All of them came to the surface, to find, that the launch was now right side up, but was full of water.

The men hung on, but successive waves washed them off. They managed to get back, but a subsequent wave washed both of the Andersons away. Meanwhile, two other fishermen, whose launch had broken down, and. who, as a result, had not ventured across the bar, saw what happened from nearby sandhills. These two men. E. Carter, of Bulls, and G. A. Garford, of Bulls, with commendable fortitude, got their crippled launch working on two cylinders, and went out to the rescue. They were not able to get Buckman and Jensen aboard, owing to the rough nature of the sea close to the beach, so they threw them a rope and dragged them into calmer water further out to sea, where both were taken aboard.

A third launch, belonging to JCrabb, of Marton, arrived, and the two men were transhipped to it and were brought back safely. The bodies of the Anderson brothers were subsequently recovered. Another brother, Gilbert Anderson, was drowned two or three years ago when he went fishing in a launch from Wanganui.

Swimmer Drowned

in Marlborough River

P.A. BLENHEIM, April 18. A young man lost his ,life in the Opawa River, about three miles from Blenheim, on Saturday afternoon. He was William D. Crombie, aged 24, single, a seaman, employed on the coastal vessel Wairau. With three companions, he went down the riverbank to shoot rabbits, and at about 4 p.m. he decided to have a swim. He reached ffie opposite ‘bank, less than 50 yards away, and, aftei- a short rest, he commenced to return. When about a third of the wav across he was seen to struggle and sink.

A companion, Michael Waters, tried to rescue Crombie, but he could find no trace of the man. The police were called, and dragging onerations commenced, but late on Sunday evenino- were still unsuccessful. The deceased’s mother is MrsE Crombie, of Pukerua Road, Plimmerton.