Two Disasters in Mexico

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 74, 28 March 1936, Page 5

Two Disasters in Mexico

Aeroplane Crash and Dynamite Explosion

DETONATION RAZES

VILLAGE

United Press Association— By Electrlo Telegraph.—Copyrignt. Received Friday, 7 p.m. MEXICO CITY, Mar. 26.

The most disastrous accident iu the history of Mexican aviation occurred to-day, when u tri-motored commercial transport plane crashed between the famous volcanoes Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl, 40 miles from the capital, and ten German tourists and the four crew members were instantly killed. Witnesses said the craft had just loft tho airport and was flying low when it turned backward, the pilot evidently attempting to return to the Held. Suddenly ■t’ o aeroplane burst ino flames and crashed to earth at terrific spoed. Mexico sufferod another disaster today, at least 00 being killed and 60 injured when a carload of dynamite exploded at the village of Tultenago. Tho force of the detonation was so great that practically every structure in tho village was razed. Mutilated bodies were thrown distances up to several hundred yards.

Victims Include Titled Persons Received Friday, 10.30 p.m. MEXICO CITY, Mar. 26. Tho German victims included three titled persons: Adolf, Prince of Schaum-burg-Lippc, and his wife, Princess Elizabeth, and Siegmund, Baron von Steiber. Five Killed in Air Crash in Home MACHINE BELIEVED TO HAVE HIT TREE-TOP Received Friday, 7.40 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 27. An air-liner belonging to Commercial Air Hire crashed at Now Forest, near Lyndhurst, and four men and one woman were killed. The victims were: The pilot (Captain Birmingham) and his brother, the wireless operator (Robert Burgess) and his fiancee (Miss Daisy Marsh) and Norman Burton, Burgess’ friend. The accident occurred while the machine was engaged in aerial exercises in co-operation with Air Force searchlight and anti-aircraft units, for which the specially-chartered civil machines engaged in this work frequently carry civilian passengers. Nobody witnessed the smash, but people living iu the vicinity heard a terrific noise and hurried to the scene, finding alt tho occupants dead. It is believed the machine hit a tree-top while searching for a landing place. It did not catch Are.