DUAL SURFING TRAGEDY

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 25 January 1933, Page 6

DUAL SURFING TRAGEDY

TWO MEN LOSE LIVES BACKWASH AT GREYMOUTH RESCUE EFFORTS FRUITLESS. (By Telegraph—tress Association.) GREYMOUTH, Jan. 24. A double surfing fatality occurred at four o’clock this afternoon at the Blaketown beach south of the harbour entrance, the scene of previous tragedies. The victims were Elias ’Nordstrom, aged 24, and Charles Kerr McAnultv, aged 27, both of Greymouth and both officers of the local unemployment organisation. They wore poor swimmers and waded out over waistdeep. There were thirty others also surfing in the vicinity. The backwash at the time was exceptional.

i The tide was coming in. McAnulty and Nordstrom were carried beyond their depth and valiant efforts to save them failed. All the surfers found difficulty in the exceptional backwash. Ivan James Cut-in managed to grasp McAnulty but the hitter's struggles, combined with the undertow, forced the other to release him after bringing him six yards toward the shore. Curin called Nordstrom to help him but he was in a bad way and soon disappeared, Curin returning ashore only with difficulty. Another surfer made an effort to reach the victims, but as they were then drifting rapidly lie was ob liged to seek his own safety. Three attempts with the aid of r life-line were made from the shore by William Smith, Michael Gordon. Frank Moss and Peter Affleck to effect a rescue hut the reel broke on the first two attempts and on the third effort the line was extended to its full lengtn of 400 feet but the victims then lmd disappeared. Till the TO p.m high water there was no sign of the bodies. Nordstrom, a native of Nortlmmboiland, leaves a wife and daughter aged two, also a brother at Dobson and Ins mother in England. McAnulty. a native of Ulantyre. Scotland, leaves a widowed sister at Greymouth. a brother (Mr. Andrew McAnulty) at Christ church, and four married sisters at Blantyre. Both men were formerly Dobson miners.