NAVAL SKIFF CAPSIZES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17125, 2 April 1919, Page 11

NAVAL SKIFF CAPSIZES

SYDNEY HARBOUR TRAGEDY.

FIVE CADETS DROWNED.

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SYDNEY, Mar. 16.

A tragedy occurred in the harbour yesterday, when a service-cutter, in which were 29 boys from H.M.A.S. Tingira, in charge of Petty-officer Duhig, capsized off Dobroyde Point. Five of the boys were drowned. Twenty-four others and Pettyofficer Duhig succeeded in getting safely ashore, and last night returned to the Tinpra. The names of the boys who lost their lives are: E. Page, R. Fellows, J. McPherson, H. Bamford, and L. Earl. .Hie afternoon was fine, with a steady south-easterly wind blowing, and one of the large service cutters left the Tingira about 1.30 o'clock. Twenty-nine hoys, whose ages ranged from 15 "years downwards, and all of whom were able to swim, were on board. They drew out of Rose Bay, and, with tho ' wind behind them, sailed down the harbour in the direction of Manly. The absence of a centreboard caused th» cutter to make a fair amount of leeway As she was crossing the line of the bombara she was caught in the heavy swell that was sweeping straight in from be tween the heads and turned turtle. So heavy was the swell that it lifted the boat sideways, spilled all the occupant into the water, threw the oars and gear that were in the cutter on top of them, and then, lifting the cutter up bodily, overturned her and dumped her down, keel uppermost, in tho midst of the mass of struggling boys. The spot where the accident occurred was about 200 yards from the Middle Harbour side of Dobroyde Point, and is regarded as one of tho most dangerous spots in the harbour. A number immediately made the attempt to swim to land, and with the assistance of the floating oars and j other fittings from the boat, all save six, , and the missing boys, eventually accomplished the severe task, after laving been considerably battered by the force of the waves and cut and scratched by the rocks. In the meantime, the upturned boat, to which Petty-Officer Duhig and five boys were clinging, was being carried by the waves farther out from the land, but was still perilously near to the broken and seething water covering the bombara. Their position was momentarily becoming more dangerous, when news of tie accident was brought to Messrs. S. A. and S. J. Fernandez, at their camp on Dobroyde Head, shortly before 4 o'clock—almost an hour after the boat capsized. Mr. S. J. Fernandez immediately ran to the water's edge. Being a very strong swimmer, he quickly covered the 300 yards between the shore and the cutter. Arrived there he found the five boys and Petty Officer Duhig still clinging to the keel of the overturned boat.i He bffered to swim back with one of the boys, and Petty Officer Duhig, whom he characterised as a very brave and cool-headed officer, said: "Well, you had better take that chap. He seems to be in the worst fix of them all." The boy kicked valiantly in his attempt to aid his rescuer, and at length after a long struggle the pair manaeed to reach the rocks at the foot of the headland and were safe. Mr. Fernandez, after a few minutes' rest, again plunged in and swam out to the drifting cutter. He picked out another boy and succeeded in making his way back to the shore. After a rest Mr Fernandez made another effort to reach the cutter, but found that his strength was not equal to the task, and h* .was reluctantly compelled to turn around and swim back to the shore. Two skills reached the cutter, which was drifting titeadily away from the show Three boys Mid Petty-officer Duhig wero taken aboard, a.nd were landed safely on the b«ach.