MISSING FISHERMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23162, 7 October 1938, Page 10

MISSING FISHERMAN

NO TRACE DISCOVERED POSITION NOW HOPELESS COAST AND ISLANDS SEARCHED fBY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] MERCURY BAT, Thursday * No trace has yet been discovered of Mr. W. Sangster, a retired farmer, aged 76, who failed to return from a fishing trip on which he set out on Tuesday morning from a beach near Mercury Bay. The search has been carried on continuously since that time, but no sign of Mr. Sangster, of his boat or belongings has been found. lhe position is now considered hopeless. Constable L. N. Rose, of Mercury Bay, searched from 10 to 12 miles along the ' coast and neighbouring small islands in a fishing launch yesterday without result. The constable's also made a thorough search of the shore line, which is precipitous and rocky at this point. Mr. Sangster, who lives at Hot Water Beach, near Mercury Bay, was spending a week's holiday at the farm of Mr. /W. Harsant, of Heihei. After putting off from a beach on Mr. Harsant's property on Tuesday morning he was seen by passing fishermen near Wigmore's Passage, which is not far from the beach. He carried no food or water in his dinghy, intending to be away only about two hours. It is now- considered that when Mr. Sangster attempted to return in the afternoon ho was unable to negotiate the passage on account of the strong head wind which was blowing at the time and got into difficulties. Water conditions at the time were unsettled. Formerly- a farmer at Aria, near Te Kuiti, the missing man had been living for the past year with a nephew, Air. P. Murray, at Hot Water Beach.