FLYING TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 287, 4 September 1928, Page 11

FLYING TRAGEDY

„AEROPLANE BURNED FIVE PEOPLE INCINERATED IN FRANCE MINISTER OF COMMERCE ONE OF VICTIMS An aeroplane, conveying a party to a French aviation fete, caught fire, and the Minister of Commerce and four others were burned to death. (United Press Association.—By Electrt® Telegraph.—Copy right.) (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) Paris, September 2. M. Bokanowski, French Minister of Commerce, and four other persons, were burned to death in an aeroplane in which they were taking off from Toul Aerodrome to-day, with the intention of participating in au aviation fete at Clermont-Ferrand. Two minutes from the start the ’plane caught tire at a height of 1600 feet, crashed, and overturned. The occupants were dead before assistance was possible. The other victims were the secretary-general of the Aerial Navigation Company, the pilot Anin, mechanic Vidal, and the wireless operator Veilins. The bodies were burned to ashes. NEW ENGINE CAUSE OF TROUBLE ("Times” Cables.) Paris, September 2. The entire Ministry, including M, Bokanowski, had journeyed to Ji. Poincare’s country house tit Sampigny to celebrate the second anniversary of M. Poincare’s Cabinet and also the Premier’s birthday. The Ministers left after lunch. M. Bokanowski motored to Toul, intending to fiy thence to the Auvergne Flying Festival at Clermont. His colleagues advised him to use the road, but M. Bokanowski laughed at their fears. He had previously made many flights, being deeply interested in the progress of civil aviation, which is a department of his Ministry of Commerce. The machine, which was fitted with a new engine, conducted a trial and started on the journey, Observers fancied that it,rose tardily. The escorting pilot says that it swerved and dived. Apparently engipe trouble caused a loss of speed. The remains of the occupants were unrecognisable. M, Bokanowski was identified by his watch, the mechanic by a lucky charm, and the pilot by a door-key. AMUNDSEN’S FATE EVIDENCE OF FLOAT ' . . DISCOVERED BY FISHING BOAT (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) Oslo, September 2. The captain of the fishing boat Brook, which picked up the seaplane float near Vann Island, in an interview, said that he saw the float drifting. He thought at first it was an oil barrel. Suddenly a man called out: “It belongs to a flying boat.” “We were all silent,”, said the captain, thinking of Amundsen. None of ns forget the moment when the float was carefully got aboard. We realised that it was a float from a seaplane.” The scientist, Dr. Hoel, agrees with the opinion of Captain Sverdrup that the float might well have drifted from the outer Fugloey Islands if the machine dropped into the sea during the voya"" but he thinks that there is a possibility that Amundsen, encountering bad weather, had been trying to return. The manager of the seaplane works at Horten declares that if one float breaks off a seaplane, the craft will onlv float a few minutes. ..... The evening paper, “The Diblad. says: “It seems as though we have lost one of the most famous meu in our historv, Amundsen, and the brave airman, Dietrichsen. Their disappearance, however, will crown the name of their native land ,with glory. It is difficult to give up hope, but the time is near when we are bound to recognise the death of these brave, unselfish Norwegians and their courageous French comrades.” [The Brook took the float to Tromsoe where it was identified as belonging’ to Captain Guilbraud’s seaplane, on which Captain Amundsen went tn search of castaways from the Italia.J RELIC OF ANOTHER DISASTER WHEEL FROM AEROPLANE ST. RAPHAEL (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, September 1. iu aeroplane wheel, washed up on the coast of Iceland, has been identified as part of the machine in which Princess Lowenstein- set. out from this country on August 31, 19_<, in an attempt to fly the Atlantic ?n the aeroplane St. Raphael, with Captain Hamilton and Colonel Miuchin.