MAIL PLANE LOST
RESCUE OF OCCUPANTS O.C. SYDNEY, April 6. Within two hours of jumping into the sea from a sinking R.A.F. Dakota mail plane, the crew of four and 24 passengers were located by an R.A-A.F. Sunderland. The transport was returning to Australia, after having opened the mail service for the British Fleet. It was forced down by engine failure about 120 miles from Moresby. The survivors were clinging to the sides of two rubber dinghies when the Sunderland sighted them. It dropped seven rubber dinghies, four of which were recovered and lashed to the two from the lost Dakota. The 28 men distributed themselves on these and awaited rescue. They sang popular songs and formed a "Goldfish Club" as they clung to the dinghies. About 20 hours later an R.A.A.F. crash launch, which had received such a severe buffeting that it sprang a leak, picked up the party.
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Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 85, 11 April 1945, Page 7
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150MAIL PLANE LOST Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 85, 11 April 1945, Page 7
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