A FATAL ACCIDENT.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 222, 15 November 1888, Page 2

A FATAL ACCIDENT.

A SAILOR KILLED ON BOARD THE SHIP PIAKO. Napier, last night.

A serious accident happened on board the ship Piako, which is lying in the bay, It appears that one of the seamen was on top of the deck house doing something or other when by some means he slipped and fell. The fall was only about eight feet but he unfortunately came down on his head, and was picked up in a very bid condition. A boat's crew was immediately sent ashore for medical assistance, and one of the crew said they did not know whether the unfortunate man was dqad or alive. Nearly all the doctors in town were communicated with by telephone, but they were all absent from their homes except Dr Preston, who immediately drove down to the port post haste, and got into the boat waiting at the wharf for him to attend the sufferer; Later bn in tl;e afternoon a boat from the Piako landed at tile Spit, g,n4 in it was the body of the seaman, who was quite dead. It appears he was standing on the top of the deck hoqse when the accident occurred, trimming the trysail, which knocked him over and broke his neck. \Yhen he fell some of his comrades hurried forward and picked him ”!)• H e uttered a few words as they laid him down, saying his neck was hurt. Shortly after he expired. His body was conveyed to the nearest hotel at the port, where an inquest will probably be held to-morrow. The sad affair has cast quite a gloom over the officers and crew of the Piako.