FISHING TRAGEDY

Southland Times, Issue 22042, 15 June 1933, Page 8

FISHING TRAGEDY

YOUNG MAN DROWNED DRAGGED OFF LAUNCH ROPE AROUND ANKLE (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 14. While he was assisting in fishing operations on an Auckland launch off the Coromandel Peninsula, a young man, 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, owned by G. H. Knaggs, of Auckland. The third member of the crew was Edward Flavell. At the time of the accident the men had commenced fishing operations and Peterson was standing on the starboard side paying out the dragrope attached to the net. The weather was fine while only a medium sea was running. Suddendly 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 while Knaggs left the wheel and went to assist the deceased. He had just seized him when the rope dragged both of them overboard, Knaggs being pulled over the side by Peterson. As soon as the others went overboard, Flavell reversed the engine and backed the launch toward them. Knaggs was assisted aboard and the two men then hauled in the dragrope which had run out with Peterson for 45ft. When he was brought aboard the rope was tightly wound round his right ankle. The rope was cut with the loss of several hundred feet of rope and net. As soon as the deceased was lifted aboard, Knaggs and Flavel commenced restorative measures for two hours without success. They then sailed for Quarry Rock to obtain a doctor. On the journey artificial restoration 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.