SOUTHERLY STORM

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19604, 26 September 1933, Page 6

SOUTHERLY STORM

FISHING LAUNCH MISSING CREW OF FOUR ABOARD By Telegraph—Pres* Association WELLINGTON, Sept. 25. A southerly gale which sprang up at 6 o’clock this morning put a sudden stop to the fishing operations of the Island Bay launches near Baring Head, and the Harbour Board's tug Toia had to be sent out to the assistance of one of the launches, the Santina, which had an engine breakdown. Seven launches left Island Bay about 4 i o'clock this morning for the daily fishing. When the blow commenced they I put back with the exception of the Santina and another launch which stood by to see if she could be of assistance. The latter, however, was ( not powerful enough to take the other boat in tow and she came in to seek the assistance of the Toia. The launches were unable to get into Island Bay owing to the severity of the storm and, except for one which went to Balena Bay, they made for the boat harbour where they arrived at 9 o'clocx. About the time the Toia left the wharf at 10 o'clock the trawler Futurist was passing Baring Head but saw nothing of the Santina. She was about four miles off the point and visabillty was poor owing to the big sea running and passing showers of rain. Grave fears for the safety of the crew were entertained when pieces of wreckage, believed to be part of the Santina. were washed up at Breaker Bay during the afternoon. There were three men and a boy on board the launch. The crew comprised:— Vincesco Costa, aged 50 (skipper), 24 Trent Street, Island Bay. Faolo Panozzo, aged 42, 11 Trent Street, Island Bay. Generara Amitrano, aged 40, 18 Reef Street, Island Bay. Ronald Frank Alley, aged 15, 18 Reef Street, Island Bay. After the Toia returned to port at 1.10 p.m. without seeing anything of the Santina, it was decided to make a search by air, and about 2.20 p.m. | Flight-Lieutenant G. B. Bolt, accom- ! panied by K. Anderson, left the Rongotai Aerodrome in one of the Wellington Aero Club's Gipsy Moth machines to look for the launch. Flight-Lieu-tenant Bolt returned at 3.15 pm. and reported that he searched the coast up to where the Wairarapa Lake enters Palllser Bay and had seen nothing of the launch. The search will be continued tomorrow. At daybreak A. Deilabarca, of Eastbourne, accompanied by a number of residents from the Bay. will leave for Pencarrow Lighthouse to comb the coast in that vicinty, and other parties will leave in launches from Island Bay.