TWIN SONS RESCUED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1935, Page 4

TWIN SONS RESCUED

HUSBAND SEES HIS WIFE DROWN. AUCKLAND HARBOUR TRAGEDY. I By Telegraph—Press Association. \ Auckland, Last Night. The tragic circumstances of a boating accident in Rangitoto channel on March 24, when Mrs. Dorothy Jane Thomson, aged 23, was drowned while her husband was rescuing their twin infant sons, were related at the inquest .which was concluded before Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., coroner. A verdict of accidental death was returned, the coroner remarkirig that Mrs. Thomson was a strong swimmer, the medical opinion being that death was due to shock., Evidence was given by her husband, George Thomson, carpenter, Devonport, that accompanied by his wife and their two five-year-olds, Ronald and Brooklyn, he left Cheltenham beach for Rangitoto in a 10ft. 6in. sailing dinghy which had a centre board, the family staying the night at their bach at Saltpan Bay. “We all left Rangitoto in the boat on our return to Devonport,” witness continued. “There being a sack of empty bottles in the vessel, I put the mainsail and jib up before we left the island. There was a light northerly wind and the tide was low. Approximately 50 yards from the shore the boat struck a rock, which was under water and which I did not see, the force of the impact breaking the centre casing and making a large hole in the bottom. “Water rushed in. Immediately I emptied the bottles out of the sack. and jammed the sack into the hole to try to stop water filling the dinghy. My wife and I then turned the boat dor shore and* tried to row back to Rangitoto. “We had not gone ten yards when the < boat sank. I took one of the boys, Brooklyn, and made for the shore about 35 v yards away, and I saw my wife take the other boy, Ronald, and start to swim ashore. I got ashore all right with Brooklyn within a few minutes and, after calling for help entered the water again and swam toward my wife and other child. “My wife appeared to be swimming with the boy. When I was 15 yards away I saw the boy waving his arms as if he were swimming, but I did not. see my wife, who apparently sank. My son was face downward in- the water and unconscious when I reached him, and when I got him ashore. He quickly revived after artificial respiration. “I swam out again to where my wife disappeared and dived several times, but 1 could not find her. On getting back to the rocks where I had left the boys about 20 yards from the mainland Ronald was lying unconscious and I had to work on him again. “Help arrived, but a search for my wife in another boat failed.” Dr. Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland hospital, stated that death was caused by shock due to sudden immersion in the water.