Article
BAMOS March 2023
19 south-westerly winds originating from Antarctic latitudes sweep across southern Victoria .
The local shoreline had a bad reputation for treacherous conditions , but Harold Holt , who snorkelled regularly in the area , claimed to friends that " I know this beach like the back of my hand ", and had no hesitation about swimming in rough conditions . Despite the misgivings of his companions , Holt entered the water 1 .
The Prime Minister vanishes
Almost as soon as he left the shoreline , things began to go horribly wrong . Alan Stewart was clearly daunted by the turbulent waters , but remarked : " If Mr Holt can take it , I had better go in , too ". However , because of the fierce undertow he did not go out of his depth , and stayed within about 10 metres of the shoreline . But Holt plunged straight in and began swimming away from the beach .
Stewart later described to police how Holt had alternately swum and waded towards one of his favourite spear-fishing spots — a pothole described as being " 30 yards by 50 yards , 40 feet deep and opening at one end in a narrow rip only 80 yards from the breakers ". He then pushed off from the rock shelf towards the centre of the pothole , and was last seen swimming strongly in the backflush of the surf bursting over the area .
His silver hair was soon lost to sight in the churning white of the foam produced by the rolling breakers . Marjorie Gillespie later remarked : " It was like a leaf being taken out . It was so quick and so final ". His companions along the shoreline became increasingly concerned as the minutes ticked by and he didn ’ t reappear . Finally , it became apparent that something was terribly amiss and the alarm was raised .
A massive search is launched
A Prime Minister missing in the surf was a totally unprecedented situation and produced utter consternation in official circles . A massive search and rescue operation was immediately organised . Police , military and civilian helicopters were sent to the area , and navy frogmen plunged into the surf all along the beach 2 .
In the meantime , the news was spreading like wildfire as radio stations suspended routine broadcasts to concentrate on the story . Large crowds had picked up the news on their portable radios at the beach and gathered in long lines along the Nepean Highway as police and military vehicles converged on the area . As hours passed and evening fell it became increasingly obvious that Holt was unlikely to be found alive in the boiling surf .
Australians watched the evening television news in stunned disbelief as the events of the day were reported and they realised that their Prime Minister was missing , believed drowned .
The aftermath
The massive air , sea and land search continued for the next week until it was accepted that Harold Holt was lost . His body was
Soon after Holt ’ s disappearance , helicopters made numerous low level passes along the shore break in a vain effort to locate the missing Prime Minister . The rough seas are obvious — both in the shore break and further out to sea where numerous ' white caps ' are visible . Source : National Library of Australia .
never found . Conspiracy theories abounded , including suicide , assassination and even that he had been taken aboard a Chinese submarine that was waiting off shore .
However , a joint report by Commonwealth and Victorian police submitted in January 1968 concluded that : ‘".. there has been no indication that the disappearance of the late Mr Holt was anything other than accidental ". The report found that " his last movements followed a routine domestic pattern , his demeanour had been normal and despite his knowledge of the beach , the turbulent conditions ( high winds , rough seas and rip tides ) overcame him 3 ".
Several theories were advanced to explain the failure to find his body . These included a shark attack and the possibility that he could have become wedged in one of the numerous submarine rock crevices that abounded in the area - or simply taken far out to sea .
The disappearance of a Prime Minister , presumably by drowning , changed the course of Australia ’ s history , and would be one of the very few examples , if indeed any others exist , of a head of state dying in this way .
The lessons from the tragedy
The Harold Holt tragedy shows us that no matter how fit or strong we are entering the surf as a swimmer in rough conditions can be very dangerous .
If the beach in question is closed , do not enter the water , and if the beach is not patrolled do not even contemplate doing so if conditions are rough . The ocean does not often grant second chances .