TASMAN PLANE TURNS BACK

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25248, 29 July 1947, Page 7

TASMAN PLANE TURNS BACK

Violent Winds Met Each Way “NIGHTMARE” FOR PASSENGERS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 28. Passengers in the Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat bound from Sydney to Auckland had a nightmare experience to-day in a storm over the Tasman. The aircraft, which left Rose Bay at 6.30 a.m., ran into violent head v’inds and rain in the middle of the Tasman and turned back at 10.25 a.m. It landed safely at Rose Bay with petrol for one hour’s flying. Shortly after turning back, the flying boat met head winds which reached more than 60 miles an hour. Most of the 30 passengers were sick, and one became so 111 that she had to receive oxygen treatment. Several hours out from Sydney, the commander (Captain P. Le Couteur) asked for a Royal Australian Air Force Catalina to be sent out to locate him in case he had to come down at sea.

The Royal Australian Air Force instructed the Corvette H.M.A.SKatoomba, which was 10 miles out from Sydney, to stand by in case the flying-boat was forced down. A Catalina flying-boat equipped with all emergency gear for sea rescue was dispatched from Rathmines, near Newcastle.

The flying-boat from Auckland also received a severe buffeting, and did not reach Sydney until 4.30 p.m., after d trip of 10| hours. For six hours it had to battle with winds of gale force. Before the aircraft left New Zealand this morning 12 passengers were taken off so that the petrol tanks could be filled to capacity.