Vito Spadavecchia

At 5am on Sunday 28 April 1940, Christo Marjock, Vito Spadavecchia and his brother, Doria Spadavecchia, left Fremantle in the fishing yacht, Roma, with the intention of fishing off Rottnest Island. They anchored off City of York Bay, on the north-west of the island.

By 9am, the Spadavecchia brothers went in a smaller dinghy inside the reef, near Ricey Beach, to fish. They had not been there long when a big wave broke over the boat, swamping it and plunging the two brothers into the water.

Doria made for the Roma, whilst his brother attempted to reach the shore 200 yards away. When last seen, Vito was clinging to a couple of oars.

By the time Doria reached the Roma, there was no sign of his brother, or of the dinghy. Attempts at search and rescue were made difficult by a heavy swell.

Marjock sailed the yacht to the Rottnest Island settlement where he reported the matter to the managing secretary of the Rottnest Board of Control (Mr. J. B. Stark).

With several other fishermen, Mr. J. Stark junior left for the locality in a motor truck. They recovered the dinghy, which was adrift near rocks in a few feet of water, about 10 yards off Ricey Beach and about 800 yards north of the place, where it had capsized. Two oars and a quantity of fishing net was also found.

Further attempts to search for Spadavecchia were made, including by Constables D. G. Easby, and C. S. Harper, as well as the fishing yacht Lupa.

They carried out “dragging” operations for the missing body. After two days, the search was abandoned and no further trace was found. It is thought that the heavy sea boots may have dragged him under.

Vito Spadavecchia left behind a wife and family in Molfetta, Italy.