DEATH OF CAPTAIN THOMPSON

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 28

DEATH OF CAPTAIN THOMPSON

FATAL ACCIDENT AT WANGANUL WANGANUI, March 2. ' Charles Thompson, captain of the_ steamer Invercargill, was drowned early this morning, lie was returning to the ship at 1 o'clock, and fell overboard as he was climbing the rail. The mate on deck witnessed the occurrence and immediately roused the crew to assist the skipper, but they were unsuccessful in saving him. Captain Thompson was well known in the coastal trade. He was married, his wife residing at Newtown, Wellington. The news of the untimely death of Captain Charles Thompson, of the s.s. Invercargill, was received with considerable regret in shipping circles to-day, the deceased having met his death by drowning in the Wanganui River. According to . the mate of the vessel he saw Captain Thompson at I o'clock this morning attempting to board the ship from the town wharf. As he was crossing the ship's rail he accidentally fell into the water between the ship and the wharf, and instantly disappeared. The mate, at once roused the crew, and they did what they could to assist the captain, but without success. This morning the body was recovered near the ship by the Eolice. Thero was a mark on the foreead„ which had evidently been caused by Captain Thompson's head coming in contact with some projecting part of the ship as he fell. The blow would probably stun him, and this would account for his immediate disappsarance when he fell into the water. The deceased was a married man, his residing at Newtown, Wellington. He had been connected with the coastal trade for very many years, and served for a long time under Messrs Richardson's flag on the East Coast. He was an officer on the old trader Kiwi, and spent many years in the Kahu, an old-time trader to the Chathams. He was also master of the Himitangi, and in that capacity paid vary many visits to Wanganui. Captain Thompson was in charge of that ship when she was lost at the Chathams some time ago. For several years he was master of the Arapawa, another familiar trader to Wanganui, and just recently left Richardson's service to join the Invercargill as master.