LAUNCH LOST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10927, 17 November 1913, Page 5

LAUNCH LOST.

AND CHEW MISSING. A BLUFF DISASTER. SEARCH IS FAILURE. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") BLUFF, November 17. No sign has been seen of the bodies of the four men lost in the launch Iris between Ruapuke Island and Bluff, on Novembor 6. The spit where many considered that the launch had been capsized has been dragged without any result, no sign of the men or the launch being discovered. A report reached Bluff, per medium of the postmaster at Chaslands (near Waikawa), that the missing launch had been found stranded between Sis Mile Point and Waipapa Point. On the strength of this message steam was got up on the Harbour Board's tug Theresa Ward, and she took a party „of fishermen and relatives of the missing men to the locality mentioned to search for the bodies, and bring back the launch. This was about forty miles from Bluff. No sign of the launch could be seen, and none of the settlers knew of anything having been seen.

A party stayed ashore for two days instituting thorough inquiries, and returned to Bluff satisfied that the postmaster's message was based on nothing more tangible than a rumour. Yesterday the Bluff Territorials, under Captain Nichol, working in conjunction with a number of the Fortrose Territorials, made a thorough inspection of the coast from New River Heads to Fortrose, and found no evidence of the launch or its occupants. Half a fish basket was picked up near Fortrose, and it has been identified as belonging to the Iris. Oars and other movable fittings had previously ,been washed ashore. As the launch has not been located, the cause of the mishap can only be surmised. All four victims were members of the local Oddfellows' Lodge, but, strange to say, only the two single men held life insurance policies.