Believed Blown Out To Sea in a Dinghy

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 236, 6 October 1938, Page 4

Believed Blown Out To Sea in a Dinghy

AIRSPEED OXFORD AIDS SEARCH FOR ELDERLY MAN Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Grave fears are entertained for the safety of Mr. W. Bangster, aged 76, retired farmer, of Hot Water Beach, who went fishing in an eight-foot dinghy yesterday morning and has not returned. Mr. Bangster, who lived formerly at Aria, near Te Kuiti, was spending a holiday at Mr. W. Harsaut’s farm at Hoihi. Widespread searches by an aeroplane from the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Hobsonville to-day and by a launch equipped with a searchlight last night have revealed no trace of Mr. Sangster. A strong south-westerly wind was blowing when tie left the shore yesterday morning at II o'clock, and it is feared that the dinghy has been blown out to sea, if it is still afloat. There were no provisions in the boat, as Mr. Gangster intended to be absent only a couple of hours. Mr. Bangster was last seen at noon yesterday, when he was fishing a short distance from the shore. When he did not return yesterday afternoon a search party was organised and went out in Mr. Harry Gordon’s launch, Marlin. The launch, which has a searchlight, cruised throughout the night and returned to Whitianga at noon to-day. No trace of Air. bangster or liis boat had been found. In response to a request by telephone one of the new Airspeed Oxford monoplanes was flown from Hobsonville by the officer commanding the base, Squad-ron-Leader Olson, who was accompanied by Flight-Lieutenant Nancarrow. The machine cruised off the coast for an hour this afternoon and then returned to Hobsonville without landing. It was later reported by telephone that the search had been fruitless. For the last year Mr. bangster has been living with his nephew, Mr. P. Murray, at Hot Water Beach. All local shipping has been requested to keep a look-out for the dinghy.