PULLED INTO SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21518, 15 June 1933, Page 10

PULLED INTO SEA

FISHERMAN DROWNED foot entangled in rope RESCUER DRAGGED INTO WATER .ACCIDENT OFF COROMANDEL While he was assisting in fishing operations on an Auckland launch off the Coronmndel Peninsula early yesterday morning, a young man, Mr. Leonard Henry Peterson, whose parents reside at 9 East Avenue, Mount Eden, was dragged overboard by a rope and drowned. Mr. Peterson was a member of the crew of the launch Clifton, owned by Mr. G. H. Knaggs, of Auckland, and a third member of the crew was Mr. Edward Flavell, also of Auckland. At the time of the accident, the men had commenced fishing, and Mr. Peterson was standing on the starboard side of the launch paying out the dragrope attached to the net. The weather was fine,, and only a medium sea was running. Suddenly Mr. Peterson called out that his foot had been caught in the rope, and Mr. Flavell, who was at the controls, immediately stopped the engine to ease the drag on the line, while Mr. Knaggs left the wheel and went to assist Mr. Peterson. He had just seized Mr. Peterson when the rope dragged both of them overboard. Mr. Flavell reversed the engine, and backed the launch toward them. Mr. Knaggs was assisted on board and the two men then hauled in the dragrope, which had run out with Mr. Peterson for about 45ft. When he was brought on board, tho jope was tightly wound round his right ankle. The rope was cut, with the loss of several hundred feet of line and the net. The man was lifted on board, and artificial respiration was carried on for two hours without success. It was then decided to go to Quarry Rock, near Moehau, to summon a doctor. On the journey artificial respiration was continued for over another hour, but it was then seen, that further efforts were hopeless. The launch proceeded to Coromandel, where an inquest was held. After hearing the evidence of the two fishermen, the coroner, Mr. H. D. Johnson, returned a verdict of accidental death by drowning. At the conclusion of the inquest the launch left for Auckland with the body.*