Harvard Crew Studies UNH Death

Crew officials at many colleges are taking a close look at their safety programs after an accident. Sunday at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) resulted in the death of one student and the hospitalization of 11 others for hypothermia.

But officials and students in the crew programs here agree that while accidents do occur from time to time, the likelihood of a similar disaster at Harvard is small.

"We row in an urban area where the boats are always fairly close to land. It's a different thing." Lisa Hansen, coach of the women's lightweight crew, said yesterday.

Hansen added that in a meet several years ago on the Charles River, six eight-man boats from Harvard and MIT were swamped by high winds and choppy waters. In that case spectators on the shore noticed the rowers' difficulties and summoned help, she said.

"The UNH team had nothing like that," she commented, explaining that they were rowing in the Atlantic Ocean on the frigid Great Bay near Durham, N.H.

Crew officials at UNH told reporters yesterday that the weather there was sunny and calm when a small flotilla of eight racing shells carrying 68 students, accompanied by coaches in three powered launches set out down the Oyster River which leads to the Bay. The squall that swamped the boats, the officials said came suddenly and without warning Officers at the Coast Guard station in Portsmouth, N.H. said, however, that gale warnings had been in effect earlier in the day and small craft were advised not to be on the water when the accident occurred.

"It's a very shallow bay and waves can come up very suddenly," said Hansen, who added that she has previously competed in races held there.

One student, 19-year-old freshman Glenn Hayes from Bartlett. N.H. was apparently overwhelmed by the cold water and the weight of heavy, wet clothes when he attempted to swim to land. Hayes's body was found at 5:17 p.m. near Greenland, N.H. seven hours after the first boats were swamped.

"It can be a very frightening experience," said William Gragam '86, a rower on the men's lightweight team. Graham was knocked into the Charles. Sunday while racing against Northeastern. "The cold of the water can be so startling, especially when you're rowing hard, that it takes your breath away," he added.

UNH President Evelyn Handler announced Monday that a special review panel including Harry Parker, coach of the Harvard men's team, will look into why Hayes might have left the boat, and why the boats were out despite a forecast of bad weather.

Parker was unavailable for comment yesterday.