THE WEEK OVER THE WORLD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22305, 20 January 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE WEEK OVER THE WORLD

SAMOAN CLIPPER DESTROYED

Wreckage Found in Sea The Pan American Airways Sikorsky flying-boat, Samoan Clipper, was destroyed by fire 14 miles from Pago Pago last week. Captain Edwin Musick and his crew of six are dead. Oil, wreckage from the machine, and pieces of clothing were found on the water by a launch from the United States mine-sweeper Avocet. Experts believe that the flying-boat caught fire during the discharge of petrol to lighten the ship for landing, and that there was a violent explosion.

When it was lost the Samoan Clipper was flying from Pago Pago to Auckland, on the last stage of its flight from Honolulu to New Zealand. About 50 miles south of Samoa it turned back because of an oil leak. Captain Musick, commander of the flying-boat, was America’s most experienced commercial pilot. He had spent more than 12,000 hours in the air and had never before had a serious accident or lost a passenger in more than 1,000,000 miles of flying. He was an aviator of rare experience, skill, and judgment. He was responsible for most of .the preparatory work for Pan American Airways many services. Captain C. G. Sellars, co-pilot, was a skilled and jxperienced pilot who served with China National Airways for some time. He was once pilot to Marshal Chiang Ksi'Shck Other members of the crew who lost their lives were: Messrs P. S. Brunck, junior flight officer; J. W. Strickrod, first engineer officer; J. A. Brooks, assistant engineer; T. D. Findley, radio operator: F. J. Mac Lean, navigator. Their bodies have not' been found. ■ ,

Schoolboys on Tour - Twenty public schoolboys under the leadership of Mr A. E. C. Cornwall, a master at Marlborough College, have left Britain for New Zealand- „