DROWNED IN THE SURF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17339, 10 December 1919, Page 8

DROWNED IN THE SURF.

TITAHI BAY FATALITY. SEVERAL LIVES IN DANGER,. f | SOME THRILLING RESCUES. [bt telegraph.—own coruespon-dent.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Further details are now available of the sad drowning accident at Titahi Bay, Wellington, on Sunday last, when Mr. P. Dromgool, solicitor, lost his life. A party numbering 37 persons, inclnoV' ! ing several members of the police force, left Wellington early on Sunday morning for a picnic at Titahi Bay. After lunch, several of the party went in bathing. £] About 2 p.m. there were seven ladies and g five men in the surf. In a very few fl minutes one of the ladies, Miss Keeney, i was in difficulties, and called out for help. Constable Neil, who was in the water I at the time, went out some distance to i Miss Keeney's assistance and secured her. He was towing her in when a huge breaker separated them. Constable Neil then became exhausted, and Mr. P. Dromgool went over to him. Constable Neil turned on his back to float, and just at that time Dromgool disappeared. While ail three were fighting desperately to reach the shcre, another lady was [ caught by the powerful backwash and was in danger. Constable Williams, seeing her p..ght, went to her assistance, and , he, too, was caught in the backwash and gradually became exhausted. However, I he managed to bring the lady half-way in, when Constable Charles Dromgool (a cousin of the deceased) went in fully dressed, and after a hard struggle brought her safely to the shore. In the meantime Constable H. Sargent and another man put off in a row-boat from the shore to try to find the deceased, but when a | little way out the boat was caught by a, breaker and was capsized. ! H / A Terrible Time. j| When Constables Williams and Neil 11 and Miss Keeney reached the shore they !■ were practical, unconscious, and wera II immedately attended to by Messrs. Elec- ifl tor Armstrong and R. Ryan. After |1 different methods of resuscitation had [.'fl been applied, all were brought round and H taken to the Titahi Hotel, where they | were ordered to bed. Dr. Art our and || Nurse Kyle, of Wellington, attended the I nearly-drowned, and after a few hours . i the two constables were able to return to , Wellington. ' 1 Graphic descriptions of the fatality | were given by Messrs. Hector Armstrong | and S. W. Moult. - Both sad Mr. Drom- I gool was a powerful swimmer. There was I a fairly large party in the water, and the 1 sea was rough and treacherous-looking. 1 Following is their joint statement: — | A Thrilling Scene. ' 1 " Three girls were the firs'. to get | washed off their feet," they said, "and I no sooner had they raised their cries for I assistance than nearly a dozen men went [ to the rescue. The sea buffeted many of I the ladies, and the scene became a i thrilling one. A number got well out of j their depth, and it looked as though jj several lives would be lost. Messrs. Wall i Brown and Newman, and several con- : 1 stables performed some very brave deeds. 1 Mr. Brown saved one man named Neil, I and nearly lost his life in saving an- I other. Mr. Newman also risked his life I several times, and the constables did I splendid work. Constable Dromgool also 1 did great work. I Mr. Dromgool Disappears. I " Mr. P. Dromgool was never believed | to be in danger until it was seen that he B was some distance from the shore and in | difficulties. Every possible effort was 1 ! then made to reach him, but it was use- | less. A returned so'.dier and another man endeavoured to launch a small boat, but | the rough sea immediately capsized it. Mr. Dromgool struggled manfully, but the elements were too strong. He fought hard, but could not reach safety and disappeared, though he was swimming at i the time. Some said he was dashed on a rock and stunned. It was a terrible moment to see a strong man battling for life and no one in a position or ab.e to assist him. It ■was some time after before Mr. Dromgool disappeared—it seemed many, many minutes." . j A sad feature of the accident was the fact that the deceased's wife witnessed the death of her husband from the beach. ======