LOST AIRSHIP

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 29 December 1923, Page 11

LOST AIRSHIP

COMMANDER'S BODY FOUND.

EXPERTS' COMMENT ON THE ' DISASTER.

BY CABLE—PSESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT Received Dec. 29, 11.15 a.m. PARIS, Dec, 28. The Ministry of Marine reports that Italian fishermen recovered tne body of Commander Dupiessis de Grenedan near Sciacea,. in North Sicity. French torpedo boats are sweeping the sea south of Sicily in the hope of finding survivors. A British airship expert describes the Dixmude as a greyhound, a very light craft built for bombing, speed, and height, and not strong, but the vessels designed for Admiral Burney's Empire service will be five times stronger. Th« expert believes tliat possibly the Dixmude was driven down to.the sea, though more likely a long excessive, struggle in storms caused it to break in two, \ The Star's aeronautical correspondent stresses the commander's inexperience, and his error of judgment in endeavouring to fifrht the gale instead of following the safg course of flying to Malta or Rome, which he could "have reached m a couple of hours. —Sydney Sun Cables.