AIR LINER MISSING

Evening Star, Issue 22578, 20 February 1937, Page 15

AIR LINER MISSING

FEARS FOR SAFETY STORMY WEATHER IN BUEEHSLAi/d Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright BRISBANE, February 19. Grave fears are entertained for the safety of a Stinson air liner on the Brisbane-Sydney service, which left Archerfiold at 1 p.m. to-day and has not since been reported. Six people are on board, consisting of four passengers, Messrs Graham, Fountain, Barnett, and Westray, and two pilots, Messrs Shepherd and Boyd. The weather m Queensland and miles out to sea at present is extremely bad. A terrific cyclone, accompanied by the thickest weather, disorganised shipping and an S.O.S. call was to-day received from the freighter Babinda, which is disabled 100 miles north of Brisbane, with a broken intermediate engine shaft. The liner Orungal is now standing by, but is unable to get a line aboard. Two other freighters, the Turakina and the Bingera, are hastening to the scene. AEROPLANES SEARCHING NO SIGN OF LOST MACHINE, SYDNEY, February • 20. (Received February 20, at 1.45 p.m.) Aeroplanes from Sydney and Brisbane are searching the coast for signs of the missing Stinson air liner, but so far have failed to locate the machine. The plane’s captain is Rex Boyden, not Boyd. There is a fifth passenger, Mr J. S. Proud, of Sydney, Mr J. Uestray is a member of Lloyd’s, London, ami Mr IV. Fountain is a New York architect who has been supervising the building of a theatre in Brisbane. Hie remaining two are Messrs R. Graham and J* Barnett, FORCED LANDING SUGGESTED. SYDNEY, February 19. (Received February 20, at 8 a.m.) The air liner is believed here to have made a forced landing along the New South Wales coast out of reach of communications. The _ usual practice with these machines is to hug the coast en route to Sydney. A report comes from Naxnbucca to-night that the Stinson was heard over that town at 2.56 p.m., but it is possible that it may have been a sister _ liner to the Stinson, en route to Brisbane, which leaves Sydney at 1 p.m. daily. DISABLED VESSEL IN TOW. BRISBANE, February 19. (Received February 20, at 8 a.m.) The Orungal has taken the disabled Babinda in tow and should roach port in the morning. There is no further news of the Housing, but she should reaefe pogfc during the; jyeek-end.