BOY'S RESCUERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22008, 15 January 1935, Page 12

BOY'S RESCUERS

CARRIED AWAY BY TIDE STRUGGLE IN A RIVER A courageous rescue was effected at Ballina, New South Wales, recently, when Arthur Marsh, aged eight years, fell off the East Ballina Bridge. Five bridge-workers dived in fully clothed, and, in the endeavour to save him, were themselves rapidly carried out toward the bar by the strong ebb tide. Mr. C. Fisher and a companion, who were on their way for a swim, arrived and took a rope out to the five men and boy, who were then a hundred yards away in the grip of the tide. Helpers on the bridge brought them all back to safety. The boy was uninjured, although suffering from fright and shock. The boy was watching the fishing and slipped through the rails into the deep tidal water under the bridge. He sank two or three' times before Messrs. A. Regan, S. Mudie, and F. Hart, who dived in immediately, reached him. He seized Mr. Regan round the neck and pulled him under, but when Mr. Hart arrived the boy got on to his back. Seeing the plight of their mates, who could make no headway against the strong tide and were being carried out, Messrs. J. Hyland and C. Cook, two other bridge workers, dived in and swam out to where the men and boy were struggling. The five men and boy wore then in serious difficulties, being about 1(X) yards away from the bridge, until Mr. Fisher and his companion swam out.