TWO FISHERMEN DROWNED

Southland Times, Issue 24104, 18 April 1940, Page 6

TWO FISHERMEN DROWNED

DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT MOUTH OF TAIERI

LAUNCH OVERTURNS ON BAR

(United Press Association)

DUNEDIN, April 17.

A double drowning tragedy occurred at the mouth of the Taieri river today when a fishing launch, the Pansy, owned by Thomas Edward Tunnage and Robert Tunnage, overturned on the bar and the two occupants were drowned.

The Tunnage brothers, who were fishermen, were on their way back to the harbour when, about 1.30 p.m., their craft was struck by a wave as it crossed the bar. It overturned and was swamped. A boat put out from the shore, but the rescue party could find neither the missing launch nor the two members of the crew. Another fishing launch coming into the harbour after the Pansy saw the swamped vessel, but there was no sign of the two brothers and it is certain that they have been drowned, although the bodies have'not yet been recovered. The tragedy took place at ebb tide. The Pansy was a 40-foot fishing smack with a Diesel engine and, although the sea running at the time was only a moderate one, it is believed that it was an unusually large wave that caused the craft to overturn. Both brothers were married. Thomas Edward Tunnage leaves three children and Robert Tunnage one child. DEATH OF SECOND VICTIM OF MOTOR SMASH (United Press Association) MASTERTON, April 17. L. Barber, one of the victims of the motor fatality on the Gladstone-Mas-terton road on Saturday night, died today in hospital. This is the second death as a result of the smash. MAORI BOY KILLED (United Press Association) HASTINGS, April 17. A Maori boy, Tukutai Moana Heremia, aged six, was killed instantly when the bicycle he was riding was struck by a car on a country road 10 miles from Napier at 5 p.m. today.