A LAST ATTEMPT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 161, 10 July 1928, Page 7

A LAST ATTEMPT.

TO SAVE AMUNDSEN.

Concerted Search That Will Last A Fortnight.

LITTLE HOPE HELD OUT.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Serrle*.)

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

LONDON, July 9

A message from King's Bay states that a conference of the commanders of the Citta di Milano, Nobili's supply ship, and French and Swedish cruisers has planned a concerted search, which will be abandoned if there is no trace of Amundsen in a fortnight.

The ice-breaker Krassin has broken a propeller, damaged her rudder , and i% drifting eastwards.

The Central News Stockholm correspondent states that Captain Tornberg, leader of the Swedish expedition, reported to the Ministry that it was impossible that anything further could be done for the Italia's missing men.

He thinks those carried off in the airship have now perished, as well as Professor Malmgren and Commandants Mariano and Zappi, who set out on foot to trek to North East Land.

It is not possible, he states, to reach Nobili's party by air and the only hope for them is from the Krassin.

A message from Virgo Bay, Spitsbergen, says Signor Ceccioni, the Italia's engineer, was dead when the Swedish airman, Captain Lundborg, was taken off the ice-floe on Thursday. All tlie marooned men were weakened when the latter landed and could not chew their pieces of pemmican. They looked like skeletons. Later they became sufficiently strong t oassist Lundborg to prepare a runway for his aeroplane.