MISSING PLANE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1931, Page 5

MISSING PLANE

OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

(Australian Press Association.)

MELBOURNE, Alarcli 27

The search for the Southern Cloud columned unabated to-day. Tlio area covered by many planes extended from Goulburn in New South Bahts i-igut down to Wilson's Protnotory in Victoria.

Kingston! Smith covered 550 miles this morning, but not a tiling was seen. Again this afternoon, lie made another long flight. Tli t » Deputy Controller of Civil Avialion, in a statement said: “I have come to the conclusion, after inspecting the reports, that tlq. occupants of the Southern Cloud are beyond all human aid.”

In view of the conflict of reports from all parts of the country, and the possibility of the missing persons still being alive in some inacctwsible locality. it is considered only right that the search, he continued until at least all hope has been abandoned of finding them alive. LATEST NEWS. SEARCHERS BUOYED UP. SYDNEY, March 28. While (the hope of finding the “Southern Cloud” and party safe is becoming slender, the mmrciliers’ hearts are buoyed up by the latest reports of unusual signs which are though worth investigation. Last night Alelbourne learned of three c-luos suggesting that the “Southern Cloud” was somewhere ni Victoria. One was a blaze seen in the east of Alacedon, a second was that of a plane over Dandehong on .Saturday afternoon, and a third that of a flare seen 60 miles from Alaffa for the last two nights.