Plane Ready For Russian Seaman

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30398, 24 March 1964, Page 18

Plane Ready For Russian Seaman

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, March 23.

A flying-boat was standing by at Russell tonight to make a first-light dash tomorrow to Auckland with a seriously ill Russian seaman.

The seaman was on board the Rumanianregistered Russian fishing-boat Constanta, which had sought immediate aid by radio.

The seaman is believed to be suffering from a brain tumour or from head injuries. The request for help was passed on to Auckland Hospital where the deputy Medical Superintendent (Dr. A. D. Warren) called on the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

The Sunderland flying-boat took off from Hobsonville and landed at Russell at 5.30 p.m., expecting the fishingboat would put into the harbour later in the evening and the seaman would be brought to Auckland. For this purpose, the flyingboat took its own flare path for a night take-off from Rus-s-11. However, the Russian captain decided against an attempt to reach Russell and suggested carrying on to Manukau Harbour. A DC3 was placed on stand-by at Ohakea and arrangements made for an emergency flare path to be laid at Kaitaia aerodrome. This was in case the patient could be landed somewhere on the coast The Constanta was then at Tom Bowling Bay, near North Cape. The captain decided to make for the Bay of Islands and the harbourmaster at Russell arranged to meet the ship three miles north of Cape Brett at 5 o’clock tomorrow morning and lead it into the harbour. It was planned for the seaman to be transferred to the flying-boat which hoped to leave about 5 a.m. v