LAUNCH BLOWN UP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2618, 28 September 1909, Page 2

LAUNCH BLOWN UP.

ACCIDENT IN THE SOLWAY FIRTH

LONDON, Aug. 13. A serious accident, of New Zealand interest, occurred this week-end in the Solway Firth (writes the London correspondent of the “Post”), through the blowing-up of a motor launch, whereby Mrs Fergusson, wife of Mr Allan Fergusson (a son of the late Sir James Fergusson formerly Governor of New Zealand) lost her life. A chauffeur with the party was drowned, and the lives of the other occupants of the launch were seriously endangered. The party consisted of Mr and Airs Alan Fergusson, Captain Hendryson Caird, of Cassencory, Mr Adam Birrell, lessee of the fishings at Creetown, Sydney Seal, Air Birrcll’s chauffeur. They started from Creetown on Friday in Mr Fergusson’s motor-launch Sirius, for Knippford, a watering place at the mouth of the River Urr. That port was safely made, and after a few hours the party started out for home. It is believed that when they were off Auchencaim a> cooking stove on which slipper was being prepared w T as upset, and fell into the vessels store of petrol. A loud explosion followed, and flames burst out all round the launch. It was seen that there was no ' possibility of extinguishing the fire, and Air Birrell acting with the greatest coolness, secured life-belts and placed one on each member of the party. He also unstepped the mast of the launch and lashed it underneath Airs Fergusson’s arms. In a few minutes the launch was on fire from end to end and all its occupants were compelled to leap into the sea. Air Birrell succeeded in swimming two miles to the shore and landed at Roscarrel, where lie informed Air Bell of the accident. Air Bell at once cycled to the lifeboat station and rockets,wore fired. In response Mr Archie AFKie put out from' Balcarry in bis steam yacht Foam, and other vessels' joined in the search. A fisherman found Airs Fergusson seven miles from the scene of the disaster. She was unconscious, and died soon after she had been taken on board the Foam. Captain Caird whs picked up in an exhausted condition, but nothing -jould be seen of Air Fergusson o r Seal. The search was continued throughout the night, and on Saturday morning Mr Fergusson was discovered unconscious but still alive. As Seal has not been found, it is feared that he has been drowned. He was a married man and a Naval Reservist, and he lived in Kent.