SEARCH COMMENCED

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 88, 12 January 1928, Page 10

SEARCH COMMENCED

SOCKBURN AEROPLANE TO) SCOUR COASTLINE WARSHIP DUNEDIN TO HELP / TUG TOIA LEAVES ‘ WELLINGTON by Telegraph.-Press association. Blenheim, January 11. Sockburn Aerodrome received instructions from Wellington to send an aeroplane to Trentham to conduct an extensive search from that base. Captain Buckley, accompanied by Air Mechanic Smith, set out from Christchurch at 1.20 this afternoon in a D.H.9 machine for Wellington Unfavourable weather was encountered from the start, with heavy fain all the way. The machine was unable to hang to the land and went out about Cape Campbell in an attempt to cross the Strait. Visibility was extremely bad, and, although the ’plane was flown very low, much of the time at an altitude of 200 feet, it became apparent that it would be foolhardy to proceed. The ’plane appeared over Blenheim just after 3 o’clock, the pilot having decided to land here to await an opportunity to cross the Strait, which just now is blocked to flying. The machine circled over Blenheim for some time and then made a perfect landing in a stubble field. Major Wilkes, after the D.H.O’s arrival here, instructed Captain Buckley, with Air Mechanic Smith, to make Blenheim the base for the search. Area to be Searched. Weather permitting, the machine will leave at daylight on a triangular course from Blenheim. Stephen Island, Foxton, Farewell Spit, and back to Blenheim. The machine has a cruising range of five hours, and will make no stops. She carries no wireless. Weather conditions over the Straits are bad. Blenheim is regarded as a more central point fot a base than Trentham. In a brief conversation with a reporter, Captain Buckley said that the Sockburn staff was deeply concerned about the safetv of the Tasman Sea fliers.- They were inclined to believe that the Ao-tea-Roa was last in the air after the signal was picked up at 5.22 yesterday afternoon. - An intensive search along the coast will be made by the Sockburn ’plane in an endeavour to discover the Ao-tea-Roa or some signs of her on the sea or land. Judging by the present indications the weather is not likely to favour the search. CRUISER TO SEARCH DUNEDIN LEAVING TO-DAY OBJECTIVE POINT IN TASMAN The Minister of Defence (Hon. F. J. Rolleston) has been in touch with Commddore Swabey,' who, has replied that it .will be possible -for 'H. M.S. Dunedin, leaving at 10 a.m. to-day and steaming. 24 knots per hour, to be at the point from which the last signal from the aviators is considered to have come, in .24 hours, which is 10 a.m. tomorrow. ’ ■

Instructions have been issued for the ship to proceed accordingly. The Dunedin is at Auckland at present. A SEAWARD SEARCH TUG TOIA SENT OUT In accordance with the request of the Government, the Harbour Board’s tug Toia was got ready' for sea yesterday afternoon. The crew were enjoying themselves at the board’s . employees’ picnic at* Maidstone Park when they received the call to join the Toia, which got away to sea about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The Toia, which is equipped with wireless, will make a careful search for signs of the missing airmen over an area agreed upon in consultation with the air officers of the Defence Department, and will leave nothing undone to find them if they are adrift or have reached the coast. The Toia will co-operate as far as possible with the aeroplane which will be working from Blenheim under the charge of Captain Buckley. • EQUIPMENT OF AEROPLANE In reply to an inquiry from Radio, Wellington, the wireless station, at Sydney reported that no Verey lights or flares were carried, but that Captain Kight states that the lights seen might have been flame from two exhausts under cdwling. No navigation lights were carried by the airmen.