TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 April 1935, Page 6

TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE

MAN WRAPPED IN SHEET. FALLS OVERBOARD FROM * ' ' ' LAUNCH. .v ( f A terrifying experience lately befel Mr Barney Passmore, of Cbff’s Harbour Jetty, New South Wales, 'who was a member of a deep-sea fishing party. He had wrapped a canvas sheet rbund himself and fell overboard. With great difficulty he extricated himself from the sheet and was rescued. A! party of seven men set out in the afternoon from Coff’s Harbour for the 'deep-sea) fishing grounds in< ta motor-launch. Mr Passmore was sleeping, rolled in a canvas sheet on top of the cabin, and the others were sleeping in the. cabin. Not liking the look of the weather, Joseph Fisher, owner of the launch, left the tiller to call one of the others, wheil he noticed a huge wave. He dived 'for the tiller, but in riding the wave the rudder of the • launch came clear of the water, and;with no resistance against the tiller, Mr Fisher could not stop, and he plunged over the 'side. He retained a hold of the rail.

Meanwhile the lurch of the craft had thrown Mr Passmoro into the water. He was quickly washed some distance away. Shouting loudly, he commenced a frantic struggle to get clear of the sheet, which threatened to drag him under, and was hampering his movements. He got clear, and then had to take off other clothing. His strength was gradually failing, but eventually he was able to swim ,and struck out for the launch. When pulled aboard he collapsed. Consternation prevailed on the launch. The battery had been dislodged and the engine had stopped. The waves had swept nearly all moveable articles off the deck, including fish baskets and boxes, amt the anchor had fallen overboard. It was found that the launch had run on a bombora and had stuck fast. The current later carried the launch away, and the safety of a nearby island was sought. After waiting until dawn the party returned to Coff’s Harbour.