IN THE AIR

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1939, Page 5

IN THE AIR

A SOVIET CRASH

AFTER CROSSING ATLANTIC.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

OTTAWA, April 29

The Soviet plane, Moscow, flying non-stop to New York, has crashed on the barren island of Miscou, in the Gulf of St. Laurence. It got within seven hundred miles of its goal. The pilot, General Kokkinski suffered a broken wrist, and his companion, Navigator Major; Mikhail Gordienko, was 1 severely bruised. Both wings sheered from the plane. The fliers circled for six hours over the fogbound Gulf of St. Laurence, seeking a position. Their fuel became exhausted, and they made a forced land-ing-in a marsh. Despite their injuries, both stood guard over the wreckage throughout the night, refusing refuge in tlie village of M iscou. A New York message states that congratulations to the fliers on the first non-stop flight across the North Atlantic from Russia have been extended by the civil aeronautic authorities. Earlier reports said it was believed the fliers landed on or near the Gulf of St. Laurence. Airport officials said they were still receiving intermittent messages from the plane,, and were at present checking them to . deternijng, i tlie exact position. The fact”’ that the radio was functioning indicated the fliers alighted on land. Arrangements are oeing made to rush a rescue plane to tne scene. i ARRIVAL OF RESCUE PLANES, (Received this day at 9.35 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 30. A message from Miscou Island states that two rescue planes arrived and found Kokkinski’s injuries were only bruises. The Soviet airmen refused to leave the plane to go to New York pending orders, and spend a second night -on the island

FOUR KILLED IN CRASH

SYDNEY, April 28

An Air Force plane crashed from a great height this afternoon, in the vicinity of the Richmond Aerodrome. The four occupants were killed. Tlie victims were;—

Pilot Officer L. Harkness, of Victoria,

Pilot Officer M. Hickson, of Sydney, Aircraftsmen R. Knight and H Clark, of Sydney.

>The machine, a twin-engine Anson reconnaissance plane, was only six months old.

Eye-witnesses state that the engines suddenly stopped. The plane dived and banked. When nearing the ground, it struck* tall trees, and finally crashed in a creek, being smashed to atoms. The bodies were mutilated.

MISSING FLIER SAFE. DARWIN, April 28. The missing airman Edwards, has been found. Apparently he is safe and well. He was found in company with ten natives on the beach near Elche Island. There is no sign of his plane. Food has been dropped to him. N.2. CLIPPER SERVICE. * AUCKLAND, April 30. The resumption by the Pan-Ameri-can Airways of its South Atlantic service to Auckland in the comparatively near future is suggested by advice received that Mr E. B. Buxton, the com. liny’s meteorologist, who was in Auckland last year, is to return by the Mariposa on May 12. Mr Buxton was for several months engaged in compiling a weather history of the South Pacific, and worked in close collaboration with the New Zealand Government meteorologists.

Following the loss of the flying-boat, Samoan Clipper, in January of last year, most members of the company's staff who were in Auckland were transferred to other bases on the. PanAmerican network of airways. Mr A. L. Lowes (airport manager in Auckland), and Air A. L. Charman (chief radio operator) were both recalled to the. United States. Air Buxton was transferred ultimately to airports on the company’s route serving for a period at Manila. - The announcement of Mr Buxton’s early return; follows the statement by the Prime Alinister, Rt. Hon. Al. J. Savage, last week, expressing his belief that the Pan-American Airways service between San Francisco and Auckland would go on as originally intended. Air Savage added that he did not consider that the service would go to Australia instead of to Auck-. land.