SURVIVORS OF CRASH

Grey River Argus, 4 March 1937, Page 5

SURVIVORS OF CRASH

TELL THEIR STORY A Lucky Rescue (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) BRISBANE, March 2. The rescue party, working in relays brought Binstead and Proud, surv. ors of Stinson -air liner, down .the mountain from the McPherson Rang on stretchers to the Beau Desert Hos pital,. arriving at 7 o’clock to-p g • Both are much ’ improved, as the suit of the food, nourishment, ana stimulants partaken since the arrival of the rescuers. Dr Lawlor expressed the opinion that the patients should make a speedy recovery. .Binstead and his. wife had an affecting reunion. ■ . . .. Binstead, telling of the crash, said that the plane struck a patch of bad weather over the Macpherson Ranges, and the pilot was trying to bank and climb, but because of down-currents of the gale coming over the top of the gorge, he could not lift her high enoughA few minutes before the crash Binstead saw the trees were near, but his fears were allayed by the unconcerned manner of the pilots. A few minutes later came the crash, and everything was turmoil. The Stinson broke over the top of one tree, struck a second, and somehow crashed to the ground. The fire started two seconds after ;the crash. ’ Binstead, in the course of an infer- : view, said: “I was sitting in the rear of the Stinson, reading a book, when suddenly 1 saw tall trees looming ahead. The next minute there was a terrific bump, and I heard the crashing of trees. We were hurled, a-top; of one another in the direction of the pilot’s cabin. I then felt a great heat and apparently the plane was on fire. Proud, despite his broken leg, with great presence of mind, smashed a window. I pushed him through, and got through myself. Wo then dragged Westray out, by which t.ime his coat was afire. All the others were burnt’ to death.

“As the days; passed, I became weaker. I went to the creek at night for water, slept beside the creek, and regained sufficient strength in ’ the’ inorni'ng to get back to' the plane.' I could not have ’ gone again, 'when O’Reilly arrived. I will never forget O’Reilly and his marvellous bush instinct. Nobody else could ha.ve found us. 1 will never cease wondering what hidden force led him to believe that wo were there. ” Proud said that, he was. always optimistic, for, after escaping from the burning plane, wherein the remainder lost their lives, he felt convinced that he must be saved. It has been decided to buiy the remains of the Stinson victims in one grave on .the spot where the plane crashed. I SYDNEY, March 3'.' The Minister of Defence ‘ (Sir A. Parkhi'll) announced that there would’ be; the f ullest public, inquiry'into' the Stinson disaster. He also said he has instructed the Civil Aviation Department to make a new regulation, providing for the early installation of radio services in all - commercial aeroplanes on the inter-Statc services. The Funerals ON MOUNTAIN TOP. ; " (Received March 3, 10.15 p.m-) (BRISBANE, March 3. A tragic little party of mourners left. Beaude-sert early to-day to attend the burial of four of the victims of the air liner crash a.t the mountain spot- where the air liner crashed. They hope to reach the scene this afternoon. ... The body of J. G. Westray, the fifth victim, will be brought down, taken to Brisbane, and cremated in accordance with the wishes of London relatives of his.. Westray’s relatives have arranged a long-distance radio talk for to-morrow with Binstead, regarding the manner in which Westray lost his life. A surgical operation was performed on Proud overnight, and his. broken limb was reset. Both of the survivors are doing well. O’Reilly’s Services TO BE RECOGNISED. ' ’ BRISBANE, March 3. Airlines of Australia, .the owners of the wrecked Stinson air liner, announce their intention of giving Mr Bernard O’Reilly a reward of two hundred pounds. The Commonwealth Government contemplates a substantial gift to- Mr O’Reilly in recognition of his initiative and of his splendid, services.