FEARS ENTERTAINED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 12

FEARS ENTERTAINED

FISHING LAUNCH OVERDUE FRUITLESS SEARCH BY AIR (Per United Press Association) : AUCKLAND, May 27. Fears are entertained for the safety of two men in a fishing boat, the Miss Viking, which left Waitara last Saturday for the Kawhia fishing grounds and has not been seen since. The boat is owned by Mr H. J. M'Kain, of New Plymouth, and was in charge of Mr Thomas Daniels, aged 30. The. name of the other member of the crew has not yet been ascertained. The Miss Viking was expected to return to Waitara 'not later than Tuesday arid when she did not make an appearance Mr M'Kain instituted inquiries. When no reports of her having been seen on the fishing grounds could be obtained Mr M'Kain organised a search by air and to-day he flew up the coast as far as Albatross Point with one of the two aeroplanes sent out to search the coast.

No vessel answering to the. description of the missing boat was seen and so Mr M'Kain dropped a message to one of the Kawhia fishing boats, the Galileo, asking the owners to keep a look-out Oh their way back to Kawhia. The Galiieo returned to the harbour, later in the day and it was reported that a search of some hours had failed to reveal any trace of the launch. Severe weather was experienced on the fishing grounds at the beginning of the week, but none of the boats which have returned to the harbour experienced any difficulties. It is feared that the Miss Viking suffered an engine breakdown. ;