STILL NO SIGN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 243, 27 July 1935, Page 5

STILL NO SIGN

THE MISSING AIRMAN.

FIFTEEN AEROPLANES OUT. ■•->

(Per Press Association). HASTINGS, July 26.

Although the hopes of those concerned in the search for Hamish Armstrong, of Akitio, the missing airman, were raised by_ reports that he had been heard flying over the Puketitiri district after he was heard in central Hawke’s Bay, the 15 aeroplanes engaged in the search re-.. turned this evening without the position being any further advanced than 3 it has been since -Armstrong was first missing Several reports received that the aeroplane was in the Puketitiri district on Sunday! led to all efforts being centred to-day on this area, and 15 aeroplanes alto-. gether flew something like 7500 miles in the aggregate in the search. The country is particularly rugged, well wooded, and was even worse than that portion of the Rualiines and Whakararas in the Tikokino district,, where much of the search had earlier been directed.

However, conditions, especially in the afternoon, were much better, although extremely cold, and* much > country was covered. The average height of the hills in the Puketitiri district is 5000 -feet, which necessitated the machines, mostly open Moths,* flying at a high altitude. The pilots considered - this evening that they had ibeen given a reasonable chance of seeing the missing man and machine if they, were to be seen. Mr Armstrong is believed to have carried with him matches and emergency rations. The rule an airman first obeys is to stay by his machine for at least 24 hours. If Mr Armstrong' was uninjured and obeyed that rule, it would of course delay hint in setting out on what might be a very,: long tra np over difficult country to the nearest habitation. The country is so rugged and isolated that it would be possible for a. man to be • several days’ walk away from help. Mr Armstrong would have his aeroplane as shelter if he stayed with it, and matches with which to light a fire.