SINKING OF A LAUNCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 10

SINKING OF A LAUNCH.

COLLISION WITH SCHOONEB. YOUTH LOSES HIS LIFE. TWO COMPANIONS RESCUED. ACCIDENT IN THE DARKNESS. fBT TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] NELSON, Tuesday. Lyell Thomas William Galey, a youth, aged 17 years, was drowned outside the harbour entrance before daylight this morning through the launch Valmai he was in being struck by the Anchor Company's auxiliary schooner Te Aroha. The Valmai is a fishing boat owned by Mr. A. Thompson. The lannch left with a crew of three, Messrs. Thompson, F. Nicholls, and the lad Galey, about 4 o'clock this morning for the bay. They had just cleared the harbour when the engine gave trouble, and the launch lay helpless while repairs were being attempted. The Te Aroha left the wharf at 5 a.m. and came into collision with the launch just outside the entrance. Floating Bottom Upwards. Mr. Thompson was in the engine room fixing the engine when Mr. Nicholls shouted out to him to come on deck. Mr. Nicholls feared that Mr. Thompson would bo trapped when the impact came. Mr. Thompson saw at once that a collision was unavoidable. Mr. Nicholls was waving a lantern, but there was no one visible to them on the deck of the scow. All three occupants of the launch jumped to the top of the cabin just before the Te Aroha struck the launch abaft the engine room and stove her in. The launch turned over toward the schooner, and the crew climbed round her until they got to the keel. The launch, which was now upside down, floated for about 15 minutes, and when she went down all made for a piece of wooden staging from the boat. In the meantime the schooner was a considerable distance away. Mr. Thompson saw there was no hope for three on the staging, so he left it and swam toward the schooner, which he eventually reached, having been altogether about half an hour in the water. Statement by Captain. The schooner circled round to look for Mr. Nicholls and Galey, who could be heard calling. Eventually Mr. Nicholls was found in a very exhausted condition, but the boy had gone. Until he became exhausted Mr. Nicholls clung to 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. He could not see anything ahead of the schooner. Suddenly he heard cries and 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 Messrs. 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 see any lights on the launch until it was alongside the schooner after the collision. The victim was a son of Mr. George Galey, of Washington Valley, Nelson. The police patrolled the Boulder Bank and neighbouring beaches at high water this morning, but no trace of the body nor of the launch has yet been found. •