LIVES LOST IN DAKOTA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25250, 31 July 1947, Page 7

LIVES LOST IN DAKOTA

LORD MOUNTBATTEN S FORMER PILOT

INDIAN OWNER PRESSING FOR DAMAGES

(Rec. 1.30 a.m.) BATAVIA, July 30. The pilot of the Dakota shot down at Jogjakarta, Wing Commander Constantine, was an Australian. He was unofficial civil. aviation adviser to the Indonesian Government, and was pilot to Admiral Lord Mountbatten /hen he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in South-east Asia.

Before the Dakota left Singapore a police official asked Mrs Constantine if it would not be safer to have a red cross painted on the aeroplane. She ssid it was not necessary, as the aeroplane bore Indian markings. Mrs Beryl Constantine jvas v T ell known as a dress designer in London and Singapore. The Constantines had two children, who are at present in England.

A message from New Delhi says that Mr B. Pstnaik,* Indian owner of the Dakota, declared that he was asking the Indian Government to demand £750.000 damages for the lives of the nine persons who were killed, and to make vigorous diplomatic representations to the Netherlands Government.

Mr Patnaik, who is a member of the Orissa Legislative Assembly, piloted Sutan Sjanrir, the Indonesian envoy, to New Delhi in the same aeroplane. He said that the Dutch shot down the Dakota in daylight. The attacking planes could easily have identified it. The aircraft carried medical Supplies and passengers only.