ON DRIFTING ICE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 June 1928, Page 9

ON DRIFTING ICE

THE ITALIA’S CREW. RUSHING UP RELIEF, NO CASTAWAYS RESCUED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) Received 2.15 p.m. to-day. LONDON, June 15. . The report that three of the Italia’s crew had been rescued by the Hobby’s dog team was unfortunately premature. The dog team has not returned and has sent no message, while the weather in the neighbourhood will render flights by- Lieutenants Holm and Larsen impossible. General Nobile’s faint signals were again heard by the Citta cli Milano today, suggesting that the accumulators were being used sparingly. The message that the camp had been struck heavy storm, but no one had been injured. He again urged the rescuers to rush fooo, arms, ancr ammunition. He added: “The ice is breaking up and large expanses of water are showing up. While this will afford suitable seaplane landing, on the contrary- it evokes danger that we may have to move camp.” The position given by the wireless message shows that General Nobile’s party had drifted seven miles to the eastward since Tuesc^f^iereVwas still utter silence on the fate of seven of the crew who were carried oft in the envelope. Every day the rescuers are drawing nearer the goal, while the number of offers of help are growing. The Russian -ice-breaker Krassiu, •carryiacr' wireless, aeroplanes and 134 persous7 including -scientists, wireless experts and journalists, is now en route from Leningrad and expected at King’s Bay on June 25. France has now taken a hand and has offered to pine® Major Gill'aud and a giant two-engined seaplane, standing up for the trans-Atlantic flash, at Italy’s disposal. Major Gillaud leaves to-miorrow, picks up Capt. Amundsen at Bergen and thence proceeds to Spitzbergen. The ’plane’s capacity is sufficient for forty hours and the ’plane can carry a ton of cargo.