DEATH BY DROWNING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21325, 20 April 1939, Page 9

DEATH BY DROWNING

SEAMAN WHO FELL FROM

GANGWAY

A verdict that death was due to drowning was returned by Mr C. W. Wood, Coroner, at the inquest into the death of Edward A. Knox, an able seaman who, on April 6, fell from the gangway when he was returning to the Port Halifax. The body was recovered on April 14.

Called to No. 3 wharf about 6 p.m. on April 6, Constable Alsop said he was Informed by Captain Cooper of the Port Halifax that a seaman had fallen overboard. The captain said the seaman returned to the ship in an intoxicated condition, stepped from the wharf to the gangway, and then losing his balance fell into the water between the ship and the wharf. Another seaman from the ship saw him fall and within three seconds had dived in after him, but Knox did not come to the surface and was not seen again. A man named Selwyn George Yeo also saw Knox fall and Yeo and four seamen from the ship searched for Knox. The captain gave a detailed description of the missing man and it tallied with the description of the body that was recovered from the harbour. Knox had been a member of the crew since November 29, 1937. Constable J. Preston said he was summoned to No. 3 Wharf about 5.30 p.m. on April 14, when the body of a man had come to the surface of the water between the wharf and the vessel Port Whangarei. The description of the body agreed with the captain’s description of Edward Knox. On one finger there was a ring bearing the initials “E. A. K.,” and the clothing contained 3/-. There were marks about the head and face. Dr. E. H. Densem, senior house surgeon at the Timaru Public Hospital, said that he had examined the body recovered from the harbour. There was considerable destruction of the skin about the face and head, but there were no marks of external violence. He was of the opinion that death was the result of drowning. All the evidence pointed to the fact that the body was that of Edward Knox, said Mr Wood in finding that death was caused by drowning.