STORM AT RIVERTON.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1861, 28 April 1863, Page 3

STORM AT RIVERTON.

WRECK OF THE CCJTTERFLY

(From the luvercargill Times.).

A melancholy accident occurred at Riverton on Sunday afternoon, when the cutter Fly, Captain Zall, was totally lost, and four men drowned. From the particulars which have reached us, it appears that the Fly, with a cargo of timber from Stewart's Island, manned by three men, stood in for Riverton on Saturday afternoon, with the signal for a pilot flying. On Sunday forenoon, Captain Aidred, pilot master, manned the pilot boat and putting off succeeded in boarding the cutter, but the sea was then so rough that he could not take her over the bar, and accordingly stood out to sea. The storm continued for several hours, and the vessel became quite unmanageable, so that all hands eight in number, were compelled to take to the pilot boat. About three-quarters of an hour after the cutter was abandoned, a heavy sea struck the boat, and turning it completely over, precipitated the whole party into the water. Captain Aidred and Captain Zall, with two of the pilot crew, managed to cling for about five minutes to tho boat, when they were washed off, Captain Zall, with three of the pilot crew, then endeavoured to reach {the shoie, distant about two hundred yards. In this they succeeded, but we regret to state that the other four, viz., Captain Aidred, with three of the crew of the cutter, were lost. The position of the vessel and danger of the pilot boat being distinctly seen from tho town, a number of the inhabitants proceeded to the beach to render assistance. This, unfortunately, they were unable to do, except to a very limited extent, though by their efforts Captain Zall was saved. Up to nine o'clock on Sunday night, the bodieß of the men lost had not been found. A most painfnl feature in the case of Captain Aidred, is the circumstauce that he had just brought his, wife to the town. We have not. learned if he, or the other unfortunate men, have left any families.

Since the above was in type, a second report of the fatal occurrence haa reached us. The two are substantially the same in the account of the accident, but there is a'discrepancy regarding those saved and lost. Our later communication saya that the men saved were Captain Zall, two Maoriea and one of the pilot crew ; and those lost, Captain Aidred, one of his crew, and two men belonging to the cutter.

We are unable at present to say which account of the catastrophe is correct, but at all events it is clear that Captain Aidred and three men have met a watery grave. The cutter of course was totally lost, and the pilot boat, being driven on to the beach, was taken charge of by the police.