FATAL CAPSIZE OF LAUNCH

Southland Times, Issue 23025, 20 October 1936, Page 7

FATAL CAPSIZE OF LAUNCH

12 Drowned In N.S.W. River BOAT OVERTURNED BY HUGE WAVE TWO SURVIVORS CLING TO ROCK (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, October 19. Twelve people were drowned on Sunday afternoon when a fierce wind and a Squall capsized a launch on the Hawkesbury river. A party of 14 was in the boat, which was overturned by a huge wave. At dawn to-day two people were found clinging to a rock in a semiconscious condition. This was the first indication of the tragedy. A subsequent search resulted in five bodies being found; the other seven are still missing. The party was returning from a week-end at Patonga. The survivors Norman Jones and Wolfe Kalenstein, were clinging weakly to rocks, their strength exhausted, when they were rescued by an Italian fisherman. Jones said that the launch went over so quickly that it seemed that a giant had picked it up and capsized it. Kalenstein lost in the tragedy his Kalenstein lost in the tragedy his wife, his infant son, a sister and a brother. The vistims whose bodies have been recovered were Mrs Clarke, Mrs Kalenstein, Miss Rachel Kalenstein, Miss Sally Klarnett, Mrs Rachel Penn and a girl believed to be Miss Thelma Soloman. The missing are Clifton Jones, Cecil Penn (husband of Mrs Rachel Penn), Henry Kalenstein, Jack Kalenstein (an infant), Mrs Neilson, Hector Isenberg and David Isenberg. Miss Klarnett and Henry Kalenstein were engaged to be married. A later message states that the body of Clifton Jones, owner of the launch, has been recovered. He was the uncle of Norman Jones, one of the two survivors.