FISHERMAN DROWNED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21980, 15 June 1933, Page 8

FISHERMAN DROWNED

DRAGGED OVERBOARD FROM LAUNCH FOOT CAUGHT IN ROPE. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 14. While he was assisting in fishing operations on an Auckland launch off the Corrtnandel Peninsula a young man named Leonard Henry Peterson, whose parents -reside at Mount Eden, was dragged overboard by the rope and drowned. Peterson was a member of the crew of the Clifton, which is owned by Mr G. H. Knaggs, of Auckland. The third member of the crew was Edward Fla veil.

At the time of the accident the men had commenced fishing operations and Peterson was standing on the starboard side paying out the drag rope attached to the net. The weather was fine and only a medium sea was running. Suddenly Peterson called out that his foot had been caught in the rope, and Flavell, who was at the controls, immediately stopped the engine to ease the drag on the line. Mr Knaggs left the wheel and went to assist the deceased. He had just seized him when the rope dragged both of them overboard, Mr Knaggs being pulled over the side by Peterson. As soon as the others went overboard Flavell reversed the engine and backed the launch towards them.

Mr Knaggs was assisted aboard and the two men then hauled in the drag rope, which had run out with Peterson for 45 feet. When he was brought on board, the rope was wound tightly round his right ankle. The rope was cut with the loss of several hundred feet of rope and the net.

As soon as the deceased was lifted on board Mr Knaggs and Flavell commenced restorative measures, which were maintained for two hours without success. They then sailed for Quarry Rock to obtain a doctor. On the journey artificial respiration was continued for another hour, but it was then seen that further efforts were hopeless. A verdict of accidental drowning was returned at the inquest.