AIR DISASTER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 291, 7 November 1929, Page 9

AIR DISASTER

GERMAN LINER IN FLAMES. CRASHES IN SURREY, SIX PEOPLE DEAD, (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received [November 7, 10.40 a.m. RUGBY, Nov. 6. Six persons met their* death to-day when an air liner of the German Luftsana Company crashed in flames at Marden Park (between Godstone and Caterham) in Surrey. There wtere eight persons aboard — four-passengers and four of a crew. Two persons escaped with injuries. The dead are .Schinka, the first , pilot, Ulrich, the mechanic, Niklas, the wireless operator; Mr D. L. Janes, a passenger to Amsterdam, and Mr C. W.. Milne and Mr H. S, Jasper, passengers to Berlin. The injured are Prince Von Schamm-burg-Lippe, the second pilot, and Lieu-tenant-Commander Glen Kiason. The machine left Croydon this morning at about a quarter to ten o’clock for Amsterdam. A dense fog and low clouds over the Surrey -Hills are believed to have caused the disaster, which occurred when the liner was flying at nearly 100 miles an hour. The pilot apparently misjudged the height of the trees on Foster Down, which is part of the North Downs, and crashed, the wings being suspended on the top of the trees, but the fuselage crashed through to the ground below. There was a loud explosion and the fuselage, with the passengers, burst into flames. Prince Von Schammburg-Lippe crawled from the wreckage and, with blood streaming from his face and hands, went to a cottage nearby. He stammered in Polish:— “Have you a telephone?” There being no telephone at the cottage the Prince rushed to the nearest telephone to communicate with Croydon. Lieutenant-Commander Kidson jumped clear as the ’plane came down. He tried to get the other passengers out, but \yas driven back by the flames. He was taken by car to a cottage hospital at Caterham. Before this, however, he also insisted upon telephoning the news of the disaster to Croydon. The Secretary for Air has sent the following message to the German Minister of Transport:— “The Air Council have heard with profound regret of the accident to the Lufftsann air liner, en route from Croydon to Amsterdam, and the loss of life involved.” PRINCE BADLY BURNT. FOUR BODIES UNRECOGNISABLE^ Received November 7, 11.0 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 6. Prince Von Schammburg-Lippe was admitted to hospital badly burned and almost unrecognisable about the face. His clothing was burnt from the arms and legs, but he was' still conscious when picked up. , L - ’ Eye-witnesses heard ,a terrific roar and found a mass of tangled wreckage burning furiously.' ■ The air liner struck the top of some trees, one of which was completely smashed in two. It then burst into flames and fell to the'ground. Four bodies were burned so as'to be not recognisable* ■ ■ V