LAUNCH OVERTURNS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18208, 2 October 1933, Page 5

LAUNCH OVERTURNS

FIVE MEN DROWNED THREE OTHERS RESCUED ONLOOKERS POWERLESS (Received October 2, noon.) SYDNEY, Oct. 2. Rough weather along the coast was responsible for a boating tragedy in the vicinity of Cronulla. Eight young men, despite the rain and treacherous surf, went out in a deep-sea fishing launch, which overturned. Five were drowned and three rescued. The victims are as follows: John James Hodgson, 63, Robert Bantock Hodgson, 65, Charles ]>aniph, 37, and Seymour Burrell, 63. Stephen Gloeson is missing. The bodies of the first four were recovered. The anchor rope fouled the propeller, which put the boat out of action, which was driven on to a reef and smashed, the men being thrown into the sea. Two of the occupants swam ashore and a third was rescued from the shore by a life-saving reel. Four others were dead when brought out in the same manner.

People on shore saw the men go to their death, but were powerless to help owing to the heavy seas. The launch drifted ashore a total wreck. One of the survivors, Mr. S. Purches, 24, was lowered overboard on a rope and attempted ’to free the propeller, but could make no impression on the rope. The anchor chain then snapped, and, tossed by a big wave, the launch turned turtle and scattered the crew of eight in the water.

Watchers, signalling with sheets, vainly tried to attract the attention of a collier which passed within half a milo of the launch.

Humph had two artificial legs. His widow stated that he was a powerful swimmer, and had he had time to take off his legs would have reached the shore.