NELSON YOUTH DROWNED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 22 May 1928, Page 4

NELSON YOUTH DROWNED

SCHOONER COLLIDES WITH LAUNCH

TWO SURVIVORS l.vell Thomas William On ley, a youth aged 17. u;is drowned outside the harbour entrance before daylight this morning through the. launch Im was in being struck by the; Anchor Company's auxiliary schooner "To Aroha." The launch, 'The. Valmai." is a fishing boat owned by Mr Alec Thompson.

The launch left with a crew of three, Messrs Thompson, K. Nicholls, and the lad Oaley, about 4 o'clock this ninrning for the hay. They had just cleared the harbour when the. engine gave (rouble and the launch lay helpless while repairs wci'o being attempted. The "Te Aroha" left the wharf at 5 a.m. and came into collision with the launch just outside the entrance.

.Mr Thompson told a "Mail" reporter this morning (hat he was in. the engineroom fixing the engine when Nicholls shouted out to him to come on deck. Nil hulls feared that Thompson would he trapped- w.lum 'the impart came. Thompson saw at once that a collision was unavoidable. Nicholls was waving a lantern, but there was no one. visible to them on the deck of ihe scow. All I (nee 'occupants •of the launch 'jumped to trie fuji of the cabin just before the

"Te Aroha" struck the launch abaft the cngineroom and fVnvo hor in. The launch turned over towards the schooner and the crew climbed round her until they got to the keel. The launch, which "was now upside down, floated for about If) minutes and when she went down all made for a piece of wooden staging from the boat. Tn the meantime the schooner was a considerable distance away. Thompson saw there was no hope for three on the staging so he left it and swam towards the schooner which he eventually reached, having been altogether about halt an hour in the water. The schooner circled round to look for Nicholls and Haley who could be. heard calling. Eventually Nicholls was found in a very exhausted condition but the boy had gone.. Until he became exhausted Nicliolls clung to I the boy but had to let go when his strength failed. Captain J. E. Stevens, master of the "Te Aroha" said he was on the look out on deck when the accident occurred. Tic could not see anything ahcvl of the schooner. Suddenly he heard r.r.d saw the launch alongside in a sinking condition. It was exceptionally dark at the time. The captain, endeavoured to rescue the crew of the launch straight away. After Thompson and Nicholls were picked up the schooner circled in vain for a long time and returned to the wharf at 7 o'clock. The captain stated that he did not, seo any lights on the launch until it was alongside the schooner after tho collision.

The victim was a son of Mr Oeorgo Oaley, of Washington Valley. The polire patrolled the boulder bank and neighbouring beaches at high water tin's morning but no trace, of the hody nor of the launch has yet been found.

A preliminary inquiry will be held by the Collector of Customs.