REPORTED CRASH

Evening Star, Issue 21722, 17 May 1934, Page 8

REPORTED CRASH

NO CONFIRMATION OF RUMOUR PARTIES STILL SEARGHIKG No confirmation could be obtained bliis morning of the reported crashing of an aeroplane at Skippers yesterday morning. A special message to the ‘ Star ’ from Queenstown states that at about 11 o’clock yesterday morning it was reported that an aeroplane was seen by a man named Beale to be in difficulties and then to disappear in one of the g ’lies, a crash being heard. This story was corroborated by another resident in the afternoon. A search party went out, but the weather became so thick that it was dangerous to proceed. Again this morning a search was made, but nothing was found, though a heavy fall of snow during the night made matters difficult. A search was still being made, and nothing further would be known till the searchers came in. Inquiries throughout the South Island by the police disclosed no information regarding any plane that could have been in the vicinity. The aerodromes at Greymouth, Wigram, Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill all stated that all machines could be accounted for. Officials of the Otago Aero Club who were asked for an opinion on the matter all thought that it any plane were missing .from any part of New Zealand inquiries would have been set afoot by this time. They were all inclined to think that a mistake had been made.