DARING RESCUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 10

DARING RESCUE

BROTHERS' SPECTACULAR EFFORT CAPSIZE IN HEAVY SEAS TWO MEN SAVED FROM DROWNING (Per United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 26. Climbing over jagged rocks swept by savage seas, two brothers made a spectacular double rescue from drowning off New Plymouth on Sunday morning. One was barefoot and his feet were badly cut by the rocks. Both were fully clothed. All they had to assist them was a clothes line with which one helped the other to drag the victims ashore. The persons in difficulties were two young men, Hall Sanne, a resident of New Plymouth, and S. Roberts, a visitor from the South Island. Both are aged about 20. They left Ngamotu Beach in a flatbottomed 12-foot boat and, shortly after 10 a.m. were seen to be in difficulties near a jagged prominence on the seaward ed?e of the reef bordering the municipal motor camp. A north-west wind was carrying them on to the reef, and they made desperate efforts to avert destruction. Then their boat was capsized and H. and E. Goldv/ater, motor campers from Auckland, dashed into the water to their assistance.

The dinghy was between 100 yards and 150 yards out, and the two desperate men were trying to cling to it. H. Goldwater waded and swam in a heavy sea to the dinghy while his brother held the clothes line. Slowly they hauled the boat to the shore and secured Roberts. After that H. Goldwater returned and rescued Sanne from the other end of the boat with the help of other campers. It was some time before Sanne recovered sufficiently to be moved from the locality but Roberts had recovered earlier.

E. Goldwater, who was barefoot, had his feet and legs badly cut while standing his ground to haul on the rope. Big pieces of flesh were torn off his legs by the rocks, and he required first aid treatment. His brother lost his glasses when half way out to the boat and was badly handicapped by his shortsightedness. The force of north-westerly seas at the time could be gauged by the fact that the waves were breaking high over the breakwater and from the damage done to the dinghy, one side of which was battered to pieces and other parts bore evidence of heavy contact with the rocks.