THE POLAR FLIGHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1925, Page 3

THE POLAR FLIGHT.

[Australia A- X./;. Cable Association.]

THE STORY COMPLETED. (Received this day at, 12 JO i>. m.> LONDON, .Time 25. A copyright wireless message from the Heimdal at Spitsbergen states that i extracts from the diary ot Dietrichson, the pilot of the second plane, complete Amundsen’s story of the Polar dash. They relate: “We were astonished at the extent and size of the pack ice when we began to descend, as everything had seemed 1 letter from above. Immediately we saw it would he exceedingly difficult to return as the ice was continually moving. We saw where X 25 had landed, so tve waited to see if it rose again, as we dared not leave our own plane, which was leaking seriously and Omdal was repairing a jammed exhaust pipe. Throughout the night- Ellsworth and I were kept pumping, but at noon on the 23rd. we saw a flag Hying two miles away which raised our spirits. In the evening we communicated by means of flags and learnt the N2o was frozen in twenty metres from the ice lane. We then tried to raise N 24 on to an ieo floe in order to avoid the tiring task of pumping as the leakage was increasing. .We succeeded in raising tin plane on the 25th., when Ellsworth and 1 tried To reach N 25. hut we turned hack after a seven hours march, realising it was impossible. W T e were very exhausted. Finally we reached jji 05 on the 26th., during the crossing. Omdal and I were saved from drowning by the prompt rescue by Ellsworth. He is a sport. X2o is now moored in a small hay at Spitzberpen. quite capable of future flights.”