Plane ditches off Wanganui

Press, 1 November 1977, Page 6

Plane ditches off Wanganui

PA Wellington A twin-engined aircraft with one man aboard has ditched in the sea 16km south of Wanganui and aircraft are searching the area.

The co-ordinator at air traffic control at Wellington Airport said the aircraft, an Aero Commander, was flying south to Wellington when its engine failed south of Waverley at 8.45 p.m. last night. The aircraft belongs to Akarana Air, Ltd, of Auckland.

A R.N.Z.A.F. Andover was searching the sea 16 kilometres south of Wanganui late last night for the twin-engined aircraft which was on a courier flight from Auckland to Wellington.

He said the pilot con-

tacted Air Traffic Control in Wellington and said he had lost one engine. He then radioed he had lost the other engine and was ditching in the sea. Another plane from the same company reached the area shortly alter Lite ditching and a private helicopter was also sent to the area.

The spokesman said the helicopter had returned to Wanganui where it was standing by.

An R.N.Z.A.F. Orion had also been sent to the area, he said. So far there had been no sightings reported by the searchers. The weather in the area was not good and visibility’ was poor With a westerly wind gusting to 30 knots.