Aitutaki Prisoners Escape
p. 56 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Rarotonga, April 1.
FOUR Aitutakians, serving Court sen tences for minor offences, made a bid for freedom and fame by “bor rowing” the whaleboat “Lady Alice” and setting out on an ocean cruise on the night of February 16. They were be lieved to be attempting-to sail to Samoa.
The mail ’planes were asked to keep a look-out, but nothing was seen or heard of the runaways until a radio message was received from Niue stating that the boat had arrived at that island on March 10 and that the crew had been taken into custody pending an opportunity to return them to Aitutaki.
Food supplies had run out and the four sailors were suffering a little from hunger and exposure but otherwise no worse for their 22 days’ ocean voyage.