DUTCH ’PLANE CRASH

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 December 1934, Page 7

DUTCH ’PLANE CRASH

ALL ON BOARD KILLED FLAMES DESTROY MACHINE [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. December 22, 8 a.m.) CAIRO, December 21. The missing Douglas was located by R.A.F. planes near a spot ten miles south of Rutbah Wells. It had crashed and been burnt to cinders, the crew and three passengers, all Dutch were killed. The ill-fated machine, which was described as a flying hotel, was found near the spot whence she wirelessly asked for her position yesterday. Thereafter, nothing was heard. The plane was 245 miles from Baghdad, whence the K.L.M. Imperial representatives are now flying. The names of the victims are: Zadeb hoff (wireless operator), Waalewyn (mechanic), Beretty, director of the Aneta New Agency, Batavia, Professor Walch, of Batavia University, and D. Kort.

A tragic coincidence is that the crash must have occurred while Pavmentier and Moll were being honoured at a dinner in London in honour of thein Melbourne flight. R.A.F. planes, which spotted the wreck were unable to land owing to the bad state of the ground. The position of the wreckage makes it clear the liner must have burst into flames the moment it struck the ground. One theory is that the machine was struck by lightning before it sent out the last wireless. These sudden thunderstorms send up a whirling column of dust, and sometimes form a sandspout. The scene of the tragedy is within reach of the British armoured car station at Rutbah, but motor traffic is impossible, owing to torrential rains.

DUTCH DISMAY. AMSTERDAM, December 21. News of the disaster caused consternation in qll Holland, and has shaken the national pride following the Melbourne triumph. Relief is expressed that Parmentier and Aioli were not aboard. DEATHS INSTANTANEOUS. (Recd. December 22, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, "December 21. K.L.M. issued a statement that the Iraq police and Royal Air Fore surgeons, also the Company’s Baghdad superintendent are proceeding to the scene by special Imperial Airways aeroplane. A Cairo message says it is now believed that the liner burst into flames on striking the ground, the impact killing the occupants simultaneously. LATER. Flight Lieut. Stone unavailingly attempted to land his Air Force bomber, circling many times over the wreck of the Douglas airliner. Beekman was an experienced airman with 9500 flying hours to his credit. Wireless operator Zadelhoff was the only survivor of the air liner Stork disaster, at Bangkok in 1931. BODIES RECOVERED AMSTERDAM, December 21. The bodies of the seven victims of the air crash have been recovered. They were taken to Rutball Wells, preparatory to removal to Cairo, by air. PARMENTIER’S MESSAGE (Rec. December 22, 11.30 a.m.) THE HAGUE, December 21. The crash is regarded as a national calamity, and has plunged Holland into mourning. All flags are flown at halfmast and the principal broadcasting stations are closed. Parmentier, telephoning from Amsterdam says: —I have frequently flown over the area in which the disaster occurred and cannot suggest a possible cause of the crash. The machine was the finest I ever piloted. Soon after leaving Cairo, we experienced very bad weather on the Australian flight, but the machine acted perfectly. INDIAN MAIL. RUGBY, December 20. The largest amount of air mail ever despatched from India left Karachi yesterday in the Imperial Airways liner and two aeroplanc-s of the Indian Trans-Continental airways. The three machines carried 4150 pounds of mail. MAIL FROM ENGLAND. SYDNEY, December 22. London air mails arrived at Mascot late to-night, by special aeroplanes sent from Sydney. “CENTENARY” MEDALS. AUCKLAND, December 21. On behalf of Sir Macpherson Robertson, the sponsor of the Centenary Air Race, the Mayor to-day presented to Flying Officer C. E. Kay a fine gold medallion. Two similar medallions have arrived for SquadronLeader Hewett and Mr M. F. Stewart. Sir Macpherson Robertson is presenting one to every person in each plane which finished in the race. S.I. PAGEANT. NELSON, December 21. The New Zealand Aero Club has notified the Marlborough Aero Club that the official South Island air pageant for 1935 has been allotted to the" Marlborough Club. The pageant is to be held at Nelson, and the tentative date is March 16.