TWO KILLED IN AIR CRASH

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22269, 7 December 1937, Page 11

TWO KILLED IN AIR CRASH

EMPIRE FLYINGBOAT AT BRINDISI ATTEMPTED TAKE-OFF IN GALE SEVEN PASSENGERS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL (CjriTM) PBESB LBSOCILIIOa— COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 6, 10 p.m.) LONDON, December 5. Two passengers were killed and seven were injured when the C class Empire flying-boat Cygnus crashed after taking-off from Brindisi. The victims were: — KILLED Captain William lan Falconer Macdonald, of Charleville, Australia. Mr Frederick Stoppani. INJURED Mrs Ritchie, of Charleville, who is a sister of Captain Macdonald. Air Marshal Sir John Salmond. Mr Robert Lutyens, son of Sir Edwin Lutyens. Mr J. H. Barringer. Mr James Patrick. Mr Sharman. Prabu Datt Sharma, an Indian from Karachi. Air Marshal Sir John Salmond, a Government director of Imperial Airways, suffered a broken collarbone and an injury to a knee, and Mr Sharman suffered a broken leg. The remainder of the 13 persons on board suffered superficial injuries. The Cygnus, when taking off in a gale, fell back into the water and submerged the occupants, but a motor-boat rushed to the spot and recovered them all. The Cygnus carried mails from Australia. Divers salvaged it from a deptti oi SO ieet. The flying-boat, which sank near the centre of the southern shore of the outer harbour, seven passengers and a crew of six. The cause of the disaster is at present unknown. An inquiry is proceeding. An eye-witness states that a minute after taking off the machine came down as though making an emergency landing, but struck a shoal, which explains why the tail hj still protruding from tthe water. The prompt action by the motorboat alone saved the lives of the occupants. Air Marshal Sir John Salmond was returning from a tour of Imperial Airways' Far East services. He left England three weeks ago and arrived at Singapore suffering from a slight fever, but he recovered and was able to complete his programme. Brindisi hospital officials state that the. others who were injured are suffering from cuts and bruises or shock. They will remain in hospital until Wednesday. Survivor's Story Mr Robert Lutyens, on his arrival at Rome from Brindisi, gave the first account of the rescue from the Cygnus. He said: "Fortunately the hatchway was open. I clambered out and swam to the motor-launch which was coming to meet me. "It was an awful moment when I felt the weight of my overcoat dragging me down, but I managed to get it off. I watched the rescue work from the tender. "I have no words to describe the bravery of the crew of the Cygnus. The second officer, Mr Mountain, dived three times to open the top hatch of the main compartment, and then dived again to rescue Mrs Ritchie, who had been swimming about seeking her brother." Mr Lutyens added that a brief inquiry last night by the Italian authorities exonerated the crew from blame or carelessness. "My opinion," he said, "is that the accident was one of those exceptional acts of fate which should not be allowed to retard the progress of aviation." Mr Lutyens was wearing a strange, assortment of clothes lent him by porters and others. He carried a small paper parcel containing all his luggage that could be salvaged.