LEAP FROM BALLOON

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 August 1935, Page 4

LEAP FROM BALLOON

TWO .MILES UY PARACHUTE MOSCOW, .lune A drama < nacted in the Soviet .stratuspip re balloon which rem bed a height ol nearly In miles, has just been revealed The chief figure is the il-year-old Professor Verigo who, though he had never before used a parachute, calmly leaped out of the gondola til a height of 11.50(1 feet, and thus saved the balloon from destruction. In Hit* words of (’apt. Zille. who with the professor ami a navigator, M. I'rilutski. made the ascent, he was startled to discover that the balloon was falling rapidly. Al ??., niHift he realised that the envelope had ripped. The tail becaim- oven more rapid. "I hail Io make up my mind at once." he said, "am! I gate the order to abandon the balloon. Professor Verigo calmly walked to the door of the gondola am! stood r<ady. He had never touched a parachute before in his life. We were then a little over two miles up. I merely said ‘Jump.’ am! without a word he went out. as though In- had been doing ■ m-h a thing most of his life. The release ot In weight steadied tin- descent considerably. but we were still in great dan ger At S.'.oott the navigator pimp'd He was nm a-- cairn as the professor" (‘apt. Ziile plaved his part splendid h He remained standing right out side Hi*' gondola on the step ladder remix to leap idea: in Hu- event <d a i rash Ile landed IT- mib- »ml it <d Moscow, and the balloon w.c. milx sat o<i from dashing into ~ pim- b pe o- !'>• i-i.-im' tin mb ■ ind draxvm;: it clear A tew- to-' oplv • p a-.H'd t' from dt.-' ter