ITALIA PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 163, 12 July 1928, Page 7

ITALIA PARTY.

REPORTED SEEN.

TRIO OF TREKKERS

Month's Wandering In Arctic

Wilds.

AIRMAN RECONNOITRES,

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 11 a.m.)

MOSCOW, July 11. The Russian airman Chukhnovsky has located Professor Malmgren. Commandants Mariano and Zappi, the "walking party that left the Italia wreck to trek to the steamer Hobby.

Chukhnovsky left the iee-breaker Krassin and was reconnoitring when he saw them twenty miles from the ship.

He circled over them and two of the walkers energetically waved a flag, while the other lay on the ground.

The airman is searching for a landing place.

When the first account of the wreck of the Italia came to hand it was stated that when the gondola containing General Nobili and seven other members of the party broke away from the dirigible, the remainder of the crew were in the cabins, and went adrift with the airship. It was also stated that three of the men in the gondola, Professor Malmgren and Commandants Mariano and Zappi, left General Nobili's party and set out on foot toward the north coast of Spitzbergen, where they hoped to locate the steamer Hobby. Later the members of the crew split into three groups, which got out of touch with each other. On June 24 it was reported that Captain Lundborg, head of a Swedish rescue expedition, had reached General Nobili and his five companions in the seaplane Upland. The landing was a masterpiece of aeronautical skill, owing to the shifting ice, and during the excitement General Nobili was struck by a mass of ice, the bones in one of his legs being stoickingly smashed. His condition was mn to be serious, and this made it essential for him to be rushed to the steamer Quest, but his companions had to be left behind. Subsequently Lundborg rescued a second member of the party, but on his t\fiird approach the 'plane capsized in making a difficult landing. The pilot was not injured. At this time there was no news of Professor Malmgren's party, which was trakking across the ice. The next report stated that Lundborg was himself stranded on the ice owing to the mishap with his 'plane. Meanwhile fears were being entertained for the safety of the famous explorer. Captain Roald Amundsen, who left Tromso, Norway, on June 18, for King's Bay, Spitzbergen, in a giant French seaplane piloted by Major Guilband, in an effort to find the Arctic castaways. Amundsen had with him Lieutenant Dietrichson and his old friend Captain Wisting. The seaplane did not arrive at King's Bay, and it was surmised that Amundsen had flown direct to the locality of the ice-camp. Later the authorities at the relief headquarters at King's Bay were convinced that Amundsen had met with misfortune, and expeditions in search of him were dispatched. Commandant Maddalena, the Italian airman who succoured the castaways by dropping food and arms from his seaplane, then led an expedition to search for Amundsen, but without success. A message received on July 4 stated that Captain Amundsen had been found near the coast of Spitzbergen, but later advices showed that the report lacked confirmation. On July 6 Captain Lundborg was rescued by Swedish airmen in seaplanes. It was then reported on Tuesday last that Signor Ceccioni, one of the engineers of the Italia, had succumbed to injuries sustained when the dirigible crashed. It was also stated that two other members at the icecamp were seriously ill. The Italian airman, Commandant Maddalena also reported that he was unable to find Professor Malmgren's trekking party or Captain Sora, a Swedish aviator who got lost in a rescue attempt. Commandant Maddalena _ said he saw Captain Sora's trail, and is convinced that he has been a victim of Polar bears. Until this report was received nothing had been heard of Professor Malmgren's party, which has been lost on the ice for over a month, or from Captain Amundsen.