AERIAL TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1939, Page 7

AERIAL TRAGEDY

FOUR AUSTRALIANS KILLED CRASH INTO RIVER [by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] SYDNEY, January 18. Advice has been received from Katherine, Northern Territory, that a Lockheed air-liner belonging to Guinea Airways, and plying between Darwin and Adelaide, crashed into the Katherine river just after taking off for Adelaide with overseas mails. The four occupants, the pilots, John Jukes and Cecil Clarke, the engineer, Peter Donegan, and the Northern Territory aerodrome inspector, Alexander McDonald, were killed. The machine, which, cost £23,000, was the newest of the Guinea fleet. It had flown from Darwin early this morning, arriving at Katherine, 171 miles away, an hour later. A short stay was made, and the machine was taking off when it appeared to sideslip from about 500 feet, and crashed into the sloping bank of the river. The occupants were killed instantly. Jukes, who was aged about 30, was flight superintendent of Guinea Airways. All except McDonald were married and resided in Adelaide.

WELSH CRASH.

LONDON, January 18.

It is revealed that one of the crew was killed in the Swansea Valley crash of an Avro-Anson, yesterday.

OVERSEAS MANUFACTURE

(Recd. Jan. 19, 8 a.m.). LONDON, January 18.

The Air Ministry says the mission to - Australia will have the expert assistance of A. C. Boddis, Assistant Director of Contracts, who accompanied the aircraft mission to Canada, and C. Howarth, Senior Technical Officer of the Air Ministry’s directorate of production, who will go to Australia by air, next week, arriving at the end of the month, to confer with Australian authorities in the preliminary industrial survey. The secretary of the mission will be Mr. E. S. Jackson, of the Air Ministry, who accompanies the principal members of the mission on the. Orontes. ’

The Air Ministry announces that in accordance with the wishes of the New Zealand Government, the Air Mission will go to New Zealand on the conclusion of the Australian visit, to discuss with the Government the possibilities of the manufacture of aircraft in New Zealand. AIR MINISTER’S COMMENT. (Recd. January 19, 10 a.m.) LONDON, January 18. Sir C. Kingsley Wood’, commenting on the Air Mission going to New Zealand, said: “The immediate despatch of a strong Air Mission to Australia and New Zealand is important and significant. * As the visit is at- the direct request of their Governments, it is an additional sign of the unity of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and our firm co-operation in Empire defence. A new source of supply of aircraft, which is available by the orders placed in Canada for bombers, with the Australian and New Zealand projects, marks far-reaching and vital developments in the history of Imperial air defence.”

N.Z. CONFIRMATION

WELLINGTON, January 19.

Mr. Jones confirmed the report from London that, a British air mission which is going to Australia will also, at New Zealand’s invitation, extend the visit to the Dominion. He did not know when the mission would arrive in New Zealand, It would get information as to the resources of New Zealand, and consider whether it would be practicable to manufacture aircarft here now, or in the future.