LOST IN ARCTICA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1928, Page 7

LOST IN ARCTICA.

nobili expedition.

Grave Fears For Safety Of Italians.

MAY be drifting in storm.

/Australian Fress Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 0.30 a.m.) LONDON, May f>7

Tin 1 news Iluit tlie Italian airship (i lia, in which fieneral Nobili and In- scientific expedition flew over the V, rth Pole, haul returned to King's I'.ay, Spit/.bergcn, has proved premature.

Dispatches received from Vadso, the most northerly port of Norway, say there was no news of the Italia at King's Hay at 3 a.m. yesterday. Nothing had been heard at the wireless stations, possibly becatise the Italia's aerial is coated with ice. A later message from King's Bay Hated that at mid-day there was still j hi news of the Italia. It was believed blio was drifting towards Siberia. General Nobili sent his last message at 7 p.in. on Friday. The supply ship Citta di ililano commenced a search to-night. The Italia has enough food on board for a fortnight, but her petrol supply is nearly exhausted. Anxiety is felt lest the Italia has been forced down on the sea or on the icy wastes of the Arctic. Advices via Copenhagen state that a heavy storm is still raging at King's Bay to-night. It is iilaO stated that General Nobili sent a message to the effect that all the propullers of the Italia were not being used.

The Citta di Milano is being prepared 10 go to meet the airship, but it is not considered likely that she will make liic.ih progress. According to other advice* General Nobili said he expected to reach King's Bay at 10 p.m. yesterday, lmt if the storm prevented him landing there he would try to reach Vadso.

According to earlier reports, the Italia linrt met with heavy winds and was jiraitly hampered by ice forming on her ninviia. The danger involved in that i* not disguised. FAINT SIGNALS. Message From Ship Reports Grave Danger. NO BEARINGS GIVEN. (United Service.) (Keceived 10 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, Sunday. It is reported that the Citta di Milano and the Vadsoe wireless station heard faint signals at 10.5 p.m. on Saturday from the Italia, stating that the airship was in grave clanger. The bearings of the ship were not given. SUSPENSE IN BRITAIN. Expedition 111 Prepared For Eventualities. SOME POSSIBILITIES. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, May 27.

The suspense concerning the fate of 1 1'•' Italia with her crew of eighteen a dog aboard continues. The last fully-authenticated wireless from the airship was timed at seven on Friday i"■ cuing, but early this morning two Miimdabout messages reached London mid are being transmitted reservedly.

One it from Berlin, which says that the .\. r rt?orological Institute intercepted ;i. mutilated message from Genem] Nobiii saying he had landed and whs calling for help. The message does nut give his position. It is rather fining* that this was not received direct, jrom Oslo, whence plenty of messages have arrived earlier.

i iiu second message is from Vadso, " h'ch reported that the Italia sent out a wireless for the supply ship at 10.5 on Sat unlay night. This is also unconfirmed by Oslo.

Obviously, if one of the Italia's motors ceased, General Nobiii would be unable to make King's Bay through the storm. It is feared the airship must now be being blown helplessly towards Siberia. It is recalled that when the Italia returned from her previous voyage in the direction of Franz .Tosefland it had an ice coating weighing nearly one ton. Therefore the possibility of it being forced down cannot be ignored. An iceeovered aerial would account for the cessation of messages. The Government has ordered the steamer Hobby at present at Trouiso to proceed to Franz .Tosefland. It is pointed out that if General Nobiii manages to make a safe landing on 'lie firm ice of Siberia it may be several i' 1 " 1 -'' 9 before news is received and the |inrt\ - nr'y course would be to abandon tii } ln d journey afoot until it e*:a .1.-!-- 1 * - ict with civilisation. II"' !I.!i:» i :m- "'-prepared to endure ' i' "in-, „f Arctic re for a prolonged period. Vadso wireless stations have been trying all day, hut vainly, to get in touch with the Italia.

SEARCH TO THE NORTH. HYDROPLANES PROPOSED. (United Service.) (Received 0.30 a.m.) OSLO, y. iu'i- a confercnce at the Italian Legaii it was decided to send a hydroplane elief exposition from the Citta di -•lilano, northward from King's Bay. NO FURTHER NEWS. UNFOUNDED REPORT. Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sunday. Roth King's Bay and Oslo report that they have no further news of the Italia. Berlin's report that the Italia had liindod and wirelessed for help was apparently unfounded.