GRAVE ANXIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 7

GRAVE ANXIETY.

FRANTIC SEARCH. Aeroplanes and Boats Seek Mrs. Putnam. DISTRESS CALLS HEARD. United Press Association.—Copyright (Received 10.30 a.m.) HONOLULU, July 4. The search is being continued for Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam and her co-flyer, Captain F. J. Noonan, forced down at sea yesterday in the vicinity of Howland Island en route from Lae, New Guinea, on their round-the-world flight eastward from Miami, started on June 1. Coastguard officials state that PanAmerican Airways reported that faint radio carrier signals had been heard at 7.10 this morning, probably from the lost 'plane, but they could not be identified. When the aeroplane was five hours overdue at Howland the coastguard cutter Itasca steamed out to search for it. The occupants had radioed at 7.42 a.m. that they had only half an hour's supply of .fuel and could make no landfall. They were then about 100 miles out from Howland Island. Mrs. Putnam's technical adviser expressed the opinion that except in extremely rough weather the aeroplane if relieved of its load of petrol could float forv an -indefinite period. The.pilot's husband, Mr. George rut nam, said the aeroplane was extremely buoyant* and carried emergency rations sufficient lor several weeks and on the comparatively calm sea now prevailing in the vicinity of Howland Island, there -was no immediate danger. Mr. Putnam telegraphed to the Navy Department at Honolulu asking for a search by naval aircraft and vessels. The captain of the Itasca radioed that 1 it was believed Mrs. Putnam bad missed Howland Island owing to sun glare. Coastguard officials believe she has flown north-west, and may be found within 100 miles of her destination. Achilles Rescue Story Denied. A message received here at 3.40 a.m. stated that the British cruiser Achilles had picked up the flyers, but this proved to be erroneous. The report of the rescue was broadcast by the radio station KGU, which had been in contact with the Itasca. The broadcast merely said that the rescue had been effected by a British Vessel. The coastguard headquarters reported inability to confirm the report, and the naval radio stations announced that it was unfounded. It is assumed that the report was due to the misinterpretation of a message from the Achilles about her reception of two S.O.S. calls from the flyers, who, it said, were believed to be floating midway between Honolulu and New Zealand. A United States naval seaplane is en route from Honolulu to search for the flyers and the Itasca is searching the sea from Howland Island. The destroyer Ontario is en route from the course over which Mrs. Putnam flew and the destroyer Swan is steaming westward some 900 miles distant. There is a chance that the search be a prolonged one. Distress calls were again heard at intervals of 15 minutes from 6.30 a.m. yesterday by a Los Angeles amateur station. There is some speculation why the sender gave no position, since Mr. Noonan could be expected to calculate his position by the stars. The Achilles, the Itasca and the Honolulu coastguard station are broadcasting signals to the flyers constantly owing to the fact that the first S.O.S. picked up by the Achilles at 3.28 a.m. made the request: "Give us a few dashes if you hear this." It is hoped that the flyers will pick up the signals and find their relative position by direction-finder.

The Itasca sent up smoke signals before darkness fell and then utilised flares. Look-outs were posted at all vantage points to watch for an answering flare from the aeroplane.