SWEPT TO SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22932, 10 January 1938, Page 6

SWEPT TO SEA

WOMAN ON RUBBER FLOAT RESCUED AFTER AN HOUR [from oub owtt correspondent] SYDNEY. Jan. 8 A visitor to Thirroul, Mrs. Thelma Cooper, was washed to sea the other day while surfing on a rubber float. An hour later she was found floating unconscious in the water, having been awept from the float by heavy seas. Shortly after 1 p.m., Mrs. Cooper was caught in a treacherous current and swept out to sea. People who were on the beach attempted to get the reel out, but succeeded only in ta:ngling the cords and Tendering the apparatus useless. Some men working on the beach saw what was happening, and, stripping off their clothes, made for the water. One of them, Mr. P. Bradley, a member of the Thirroul Surf Club, dashed into the Btirf, and swam out toward the woman. At first he was unable to locate her, but after swimming around for some minutes, found her floating unconscious away from the float. He held her up in the water and waited for the other men, who were also swimming to the rescue. "When the other men, Messrs. W. Towspn, 0. Morton, and W. Murphy, arrived, they began the slow task of bringing the unconscious woman to shore, s All the men were swept into a channel, and the position looked desperate. However, by this time the reel line had been unfouled. Mr. W. Redfern Went in with the line, and the five people were brought ashore. A doctor was sent for, and artificial resuscitation was applied.