ANTARCTIC CRASH SURVIVORS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25082, 14 January 1947, Page 7

ANTARCTIC CRASH SURVIVORS

SIX MEN FLOWN BACK TO BYRD VESSEL

PLANE “GRAZED SNOW AND EXPLODED ” (Bep, 10 p.m,) WASHINGTON, Jan. 12. The United States Navy Department has announced that the six survivors of the Martin Mariner aeroplane which crashed in Antarctica during a survey night have safely reached the Pine Island, which is the seaplane tender attached to the Byrd expedition. The other three occupants of the aeroplane were killed. The. survivors had to trudge eight miles from the wreckage of the aeroplane to a stretch of open water where a rescue aeroplane awaited them. Five had suffered only pijnor injuries, but the sixth was more seriously hurt and had to be dragged on a sled across the ice.

The bodies of the were left beside the burned aeroplane. The survivors said that their aircraft grazed a peak of snow and then ex» ploded while' flying just above the ground. It is believed that friction froip contact with the snow ignited petrol in a tank in the bottom of the aeroplane, which disintegrated. The wings and engines fell off, and the

fuselage broke apprt. The survivors inelude Captain Henry Caldwell, commander of the Pine Island, who accompanied - the flight as a supernumerary.

PRINTERS’ STRIKE IN PARIS

(Ree. 7 p.m.) PARIS, January Iff. With the Prime Minister, Mr Leon Blum, as mediator, the Paris newspaper owners have agreed to pay their press operators since the beginning of the lock-out, which the proprietors Ordered on January 9. This is tne first hopeful move in the dispute, which has left Paris without newspapers for three days.