NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES - THE SINKING OF THE NGAHUIA - 1940

NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES
THE SINKING OF THE YACHT NGAHUIA
MATAKANA ISLAND, TAURANGA
SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 1940

On Friday 12 January 1940 the 38ft B Class keel yacht Ngahuia left Tauranga for a pleasure cruise to White Island. They reached the island on Saturday morning but the weather proving too rough to enable a landing, a decision was made to return to port.

Around mid-day the wind which had been blowing from the north changed to NNE and increased. A heavy sea was running and visibility decreased.

Early on the Sunday morning the yacht was hit by a particularly heavy sea. Those on board abandoned the yacht. Wreckage was found the next morning on Matakana Island, about four miles from the entrance to the Tauranga Harbour.

The owner of the yacht, Mr Frank Gordon GRESHAM managed to struggle ashore and went for help. He was 37 and married with two children.

A search was made for any possible survivors along the beaches and sand hills without result.

Those who died were: -

MELLARS Leslie Mafeking 38 Married with no children, residing in Mission Street, Tauranga
NEILSON Phillip Herbert 33 Married with one child, residing in Eleventh Avenue, Tauranga
TONKIN Roy Elrick 22 Single. Second son of Mr and Mrs C Tonkin, Elizabeth Street, Tauranga.
WILLCOCK John Herbert 19 Single. Only son of Mr and Mrs S G Willcock, Arundel Street, Tauranga.

The Bay of Plenty Times of the 13 December 2011 pA6 carried an article on the Ngahuia.



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