TE ARAROA DROWNING FATALITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2664, 20 November 1909, Page 3

TE ARAROA DROWNING FATALITY.

THE SURVIVOR'S STORY

Further particulars regarding the drowning accident at To Araroa last Saturday were, by last night’s mail, received by Sergeant Hutton. The survivor, Tuhaka Ivoreliere, states that about 7 a.m. on the loth Wirepu Tatnna. na, Tiopera H’ani, and ihmrolf left To Araroa in a 16ft keel boat to go fish jug, and went to a fishing ground known a.s Tahai. about a mile off Alaraliau Point. They caught about three sacks of fish, and the boat was about two and a-hali’ planks out of the water. They lifted the anchor about 1 p.m.. and set sail, with a north-west wind blowing. The rope on the sail was a little short, and they had t-o fasten another piece on to it in order to make thq sail fast to the stern. The boat, was running broadside on, half up to the wind, and shortly after starting a heavy sea struck the boat, throwing the three occupants on the one side, and capsizing the boat. They tried to right the l>oat, but could not do so on account of the sail. Tatimana and llani got on top of the overturned boat, and he held to the side. He noticed Hnni, who was a cripple, collapse, and thought that Haiti died on top of the boat. Shortly after area broke over the boat, and washed Haiti ofi\ Tatimana, who was on the end of the beat, shifted to the centre, and the boat righted itself, throwing Tatimana into the water. He managed to get into the boat, but it again overturned, with Tatimana underneath. Ho saw Tatimana get out, and catch hold ni Lite boat, but Tatimana was almost immediately washed away by the sea lie (the narrator) stuck to the boat, wltieli was drifting shorowards in a southeast direction, and be saw the bodies of his mates floating close by. The boat again righted itself, and commenced to drift seawards. He then took off bis clothes, entered the boat, and took out the stern board and tried, unsuccessfully, to float on it. He then got three of the lining boards of the boat, and getting them under Ins chest, made for the shore. Y\ lieu lie left the boat the bodies of the drowned men were still floating close by. Alter about au hour he reached a reck, and after resting a while, again struck out for the shore, calling, in vain for help. Ho recalled the shore, so numbed with cold that he was unable to walk. He lay down for a time, and with great difficulty reached a house about 300 yards away front where he landed. No one was in the house, and lie cnteied. He remembered no more until he found himself surrounded by a number of people. He thought be reached the shore about 4 p.m. Roth Ins mates wore old men,, over 50 years of age. Tatimana was partly blind and deal, and llani wtis a cripple from an tnjui.v received: some years ago. Tull alia vas a good .swimmer, and remained in the vicinity of the boat for a while in an attempt to be of assistance to his comrades, but wdien he saw that his mates wore dead and the Mat drifting seawards, lie started to look out for bunself. • He thought the boat would have capsized from a mile to one and a-l'.all miles from the shore. Search from East Cape to Port Av.n,,ui lias been made for the bodies and the boat, but up to the present no trace . of either has been discovered. The Natives are still searching, Inn there is thought to he little chance now of the bodies corning ashore, as Jim coast' is very rocky and the waters abound with’ sharks.