AIRMAN DROWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23851, 30 December 1940, Page 6

AIRMAN DROWNED

CAUGHT IN UNDERTOW

VAIN RESCUE EFFORTS

STRUGGLE WITH COMPANIONS

[BY TELEGRAPH OWN COT!HKSPONBENT] PALMF/KSTON NORTH, Sunday

Caught in the undertow while swimming at Tangimoana Beach, near Palmerston North, 011 Saturday afternoon, a Royal Air Force instructor attached to the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Ohakea was drowned. Tho victim was Flying-Officer Jolin How lev Miller Stewart, aged 2=l, soil of .Mr. J. R. M. Stewart, of Eltham. With two other officers from Ohakea, Flying-Officer Stewart was swimming about 150 yards from the shore. When they saw that their companion was in difficulties they went to his assistance, but the power of tho undertow and the victim's struggles forced them to let go and they reached the shore with difficulty. Flying-Officer Miller had been at Ohakea as an instructor for about three months. OHOPE BEACH FATALITY SWIMMER WITH SURFBOARD [BY TELKOItAPH —OWN CORRESPONDKNX] TVHAKATANE, Sunday An architectural cadet employed by the State Housing Department at Wellington, Mr. Albert William Osborne Lurin, aged 23, was drowned while bathing in the surf at Ohope Beach at 10 a.m. to-day. Ho was using a surfboard and it is thought that he suddenly got into difficulties with it. It was stated at the inquest which was held later that lie was a poor swimmer. There was little sea running. The alarm was given after it bad been noticed that he had disappeared, and members of the Ohope Beach Surf Club recovered his body about 15 minutes later. Colonel G. W. Gower, of the New Zealand Army Medical Corps, applied artificial respiration, but could not revive him. An inquest was held to-night before Mr. H. Brabant, who returned a verdict of accidental drowning. FATE OF SINGLE MAN DISAPPEAR ED AFTER DIVE [nv TELEGRAPH —OWN (OHHESPONDENT] WHANG A REI, Sunday While swimming in the Central Park bathing pool at Whangarei at 8.15 p.m. yesterday, Mr. Albert Lurrnan, aged 27, single, whose parents live at Otorohanga, failed to come to the surface after a dive. His body was later recovered. Mr. Lurrnan had been employed in Whangarei as a labourer for more than a year and next month was to have entered camp for training for overseas service. A work-mate. Mr. R. Cronin, saw Mr. Lurrnan dive. He appeared to swerve in the air, apparently To avoid a child. \\ lien he did not come to the surface Mr. Cronin dived in in an attempt to find him. Failing to do so, he gave the alarm, and Mr. Lunnan's body was recovered seven minutes later from about Bft. of water. Artificial respiration was tried without success. An inquest was opened today before the district coroner, Mr. G. H. M.orrish, and adjourned.