BOATING MYSTERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 123, 26 May 1936, Page 7

BOATING MYSTERY

FOUR MEN MISSING HAWKESBURY RIVER AGAIN SYDNEY, May 25. Another boating mystery, similar to that in which the brothers Thompson were involved, in the same locality, and concerning the same launch, is reported. Four men who engaged the launch to go fishing on the Hawkesbury River are missing. An intensive search is being carried out. The names of the men, all of whom are senior employees of the Columbia Gramophone Company of Australia, Limited, are George Horan, aged 42, William Haines, 32, James Brownsdon, 40, and Sydney Maigre, 40. The police "believe that they have either been drowned or are sheltering on Lion Island, near the mouth of the Hawkesbury River, which cannot be approached’at present because of heavy seas. The men engaged the boat, which 'lias been repaired since it was hired by the Thompsons, on Saturday morning with the object of fishing at the entrance of the Hawkesbury River. High seas and bad weather have since prevailed. Police boats are unable to search the coast, and grave fears are entertained for the men’s safety, ’they had intended to return the launch on Saturday afternoon. A motor-car belonging to one of the men, and some of their clothing, remain unclaimed at the launch proprietor’s sheds. Two brothers, Harold and Alan Thompson, set off up the Hawkesbury River on a fishing trip on May 9, and as they were not heard of again alarm was felt. Their boat, which was found on the rocks at Dangar Island, had been damaged from within and police began a search for them. They were located by Police Inspector Elliott at the Freemason’s Hotel, Broken Hill, where they were alleged to have booked rooms under false names. Harold Thompson, a well-known solicitor, declared that he had left Sydney in order to rest after a nervous collapse and was surprised at the hue and cry over his disappearance, as, he said, he thought that relatives would realise that both were safe. SAEE ON LION ISLAND CRAFT WASHED ASHORE. Received May 25, 7-45 p.m. SYDNEY, May 25. Ravenously hungry and extremely thirsty, the” four men who disappeared in the launch were found to-day on Lion Island at the entrance of the Hawkesbury River, where they were forced to shelter over the week-end after the craft had been washed ashore by the heavy seas.