BEACH TRAGEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 21

BEACH TRAGEDY

SHARK SEIZES BOY VAIN SEARCH FOR BODY [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Feb. 8 Hundreds of people on the beach, in the surf, and on the headlands at South Steyno, Manly, yesterday, saw David Paton, aged 14, taken by a shark about 120 yards from the shore and 30 yards from a reef of rocks. Searches subsequently by life-savers and a surfboat crew, and from two aeroplanes failed to find the body. Paton had been swimming with his schoolmate, Benjamin' Redfern, aged 14 near the last line of breakers, and about 120 yards from the beach, when the shark seized Paton.

" A huge wave carried Dave about six yards from mo toward the rocks, said Redfern, later. " Immediately I saw the waves being churned up. Ihen a shark's tail and fin came out of the water right on top of Dave. He ca led out something which sounded like ' shark,' and in a second the shark seemed to grab him and pull him under. The water was again lashed about, and it suddenly became tinged with red. It flashed on me then what was happening to poor Dave. " I shouted ' A shark. Look out,' and made for the beach as hard as I could swim. On the way in I mot the lifesavers swimming their hardest through the waters to where my mate had been taken." The boys had gone to the beach after leaving the Manly school. Both were strong swimmers. About 100 persons were swimming in the surfing area betwceij. the flags when the tragedy occurred. The attack was witnessed from the surf club's shed. The Manly council's official life-saver, Dudley Beer, immediately donned a left-belt and took a line, assisted by other members, of the life-saving club, to the place where Paton was last seen. Ho reached it in a few minutes, and found the water, about 10ft. deep, was tinged with red. Beer swam for some time, but could see neither the body of Paton nor the shark. When he was almost exhausted he returned t$ tho beach, and after a short spell returned on a surf board, being accompanied by Don Reddington, another life-saver. Their search for tho boy's body again failed.