TRAGIC ACCIDENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 79, 5 April 1910, Page 71

TRAGIC ACCIDENT.

i> ■ ■ BALLOON FALLS INTO THE SEA. THREE PtRSOXS KILLED. By Telegraph. — Press Association.— Copyright BERLIN, 4th April. Tho balloon Pommern met with a tragic accident at the Prussian seaport of Stettin, where it was making an ascent in tho presence of thousands of spectators. Tho balloon tarried four passengers, inrluViing Dr. Delbrueck, a member of the Reichslag and Deputy for Stettin. As it cleared the ground, it was driven against some telegraph wires and a factory chimney netting. The balloon tore a passage and threatened to tear itself trom tho car. The terrified onlookers watched it rise to a height of 2800 feet, and Nanish seawards the car, with its human freight, hanging by a few strands at a sickening angle. Tho Pommern was noxt sighted b0 miles away, at a height of 1500 feet. It then fell with terrific speed into the Baltic. Three of tho passengers, including Dr. Delbri'ock, were killed. The survivor wa3 badly injured. He gave a thrilling narrative of the three hours' voyage, throughout which he and his companions were carried helplessly, in constant expectation of a terrible death. A PROFESSOR KILLED. (Received April 5, 9.40 a.m.) BERLIN, 4th April. Professor Abegg was one of the killed in the balloon accident. Iv October last the German balloon Pommcru won the International Cup from St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., traversing 880 miles, and finishing twenty-five miles in front of the second balloon, which was also of German make. The Pommern distinguished itself in the previous month by winning an international contest in which twentynine balloons started from Brussels. After travelling 1000 kilometres (621 miles) the Pommern descended at Bayonne, in France. In that race the Swiss balloon Cognac and the British Zephyr were bracketed as second.