HARBOUR RESCUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23203, 24 November 1938, Page 14

HARBOUR RESCUE

THE MIDNIGHT CAPSIZE TIMELY ARRIVAL OF VESSEL STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN The discovery of the three young men who were left struggling in the Axickland Harbour on Monday night while tho fourth member of the crow of the capsized mullet boat Bawiti swam to shore for assistance was related yesterday by Captain A. G. Bertram, owner and master of the vessel which rescued the men. The men were Messrs. N. Wilson and K. and B. Robart, whose companion, Mr. R. Branch, swam to Deyonport from tho overturned craft and gave tho first news of tho capsize to several taxidrivers. Captain Bertram said his ship, the auxiliary trading vessel Wairuru, left King's .Wharf at midnight on Monday for Hauraki Plains ports. Calls for help were heard when the motor-vessel was a short distance from Bean Rock. The capsized pleasure boat and the three men who were clinging to her were discerned almost at once and preparations were immediately made to take them on board. Because of the rough sea that was running and the high wind, somo difficulty was experienced in laying tho Wairuru alongside the Rawiti without damaging her. With Very little loss of time, however, a rope was thrown to the struggling men and they were taken on board at 12.30 a.m. They were all in a fairly exhausted condition and when they had partially recovered after-being taken into the warmth of the wheolhouse they told Captain Bertram that they thought they had been in tho water for about two hours, so trying had been their experience. \ Captain Bertram then turned his vessel back and wont alongside the Devonport Wharf. He could see that a search was being made so he hailed one of the Navy launches and told thoso on board of the rescue of tho, three men. \