DREADFUL DOOM

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1929, Page 5

DREADFUL DOOM

KOOKABURRA LOCATED Dead Man Beneath Wing COMPANION MISSING (Australian Press Association.) (Received 8.40 a.m.) . , BRISBANE, April 21. Pilot Brain, of the aeroplane Atlanta, sent a message tonight stating that he had found the Kookaburra in the desert, approximately 80 miles west by north of Powell’s Creek. The message adds: “We circled low, and, one man was seen lying under a wing, apparently dead for some days. It looked like Anderson. “There was no.sign of the other man. 4 ‘We dropped a can of water attached to a small parachute. “The machine appears to be undamaged, and stands at the east end of a large patch of ground which was largely burnt off and still smoking. “Pack horses with a party of trackers are setting out from Wave Hill without delay.’’ Pilot Brain suggests that other machines should join him in the search for the other man, the mechanic, Hitchcock.

FUTILE EFFORTS

DESERT WASTE ENTIRELY WATERLESS. SOUTHERN CROSS QUEST. NOT THE SLIGHTEST TRACE. (Australian Press Association.) (Received 8.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, April 21. The Southern Cross spejVt a few hours yesterday in the air searching 50 miles north-east of Port George and country en route to Wyndham without the slightest trace, of Anderson • and Hitchcock. , An organised search by several aeroplanes of the West Australian and Queensland Airways companies,.-.in .addition to.Aif Force .machines, is. now; proceeding, from the: base .in Central. Australia. Reports state that some of the country searched is desert and spinifex, with an entire absence o| water. The heat is terrific below 3000 feet, Lieutenant Keith Anderson and his mechanic, Mr Hitchcock, • left Sydney on Sunday, April 7, in the aeroplane Kookaburra for Western Australia to assist in the search for the Southern Cross. It ivas stated later that the two airmen experienced trouble with their compasses on the early portion of their journey. Therefore it was conjectured that after they left Alice Springs, Northern Territory, for the Kimberley district, Western Australia, on Wednesday, 10ith inst,, they might have got off their course They were" known to have passed a point 100 miles distant from Alice Springs, and on Wednesday last were reported to have been seen and heard by a number of people on Friday, 12th inst., 100. miles west of Wyndham, but except for these, reports nothing was known of their -whereabouts until the' tragic discovery announced today,. THE SOUTHERN CROSS PROMPT OVERHAUL NEEDED. - GENERAL DISREPAIR/ MAY RETURN TO SYDNEY. (“Sun” Copyright.) SYDNEY, This Day. Flight-Lieutenant Ulm states that the Southern Cross is falling into a serious state of disrepair. The main tank sump valve is leaking badly as the result of exposure, and the .wings are in sad condition, almost dangerous. 'The monoplane may have to return to Sydney.

ATTEMPTS TO TAKE OFF. PAR-FROM -INTENDED ROUTE. ENGINE TROUBLE SUPPOSED. \ (Australian Press Association.) (Received 10.41 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day, The man lying under the wing of the plane, thought to be Anderson, had evidently been dead several days,* as he was black in the face. Brain was unable to land, owing to - v the rough nature of the country. A fire, presumably started by the airmen, caused a wide conflagration, clearing 10 miles of scrub. There were indications that the Kookaburra had landed owing to engine trouble. The cowl of the engine had been removed and attempts made to clear a runway for a take-off. The place where the Kookaburra was found is 200 miles north of the route Anderson was supposed to take. A compass error would aceoun t for this. Brain searched for ah hour for the other man, presumably Hitchcock. The Air Board has instructed live Air Force machines to proceed in search of the missing man. It will take several days to organise a proper ground expedition. The Canberra, with Dr. Hamilton aboard, will fly to the nearest landing ground and the doctor will be motored;, if possible, to the Kookaburra. ANDERSON’S REMAINS. PACKHORSE PARTY OUT, (Australian Press Association.) (Received 3.5 pjm.) , SYDNEY, This Day. Message® this morning from Wave Hill indicate that the body found under the Kookaburra plane was Anderson ’s. The position is about 100 miles west of Powell’s Creek, the. nature of the country making the chances of rescue of the second man less hopeful; A Darwin, radio reports that a pack horse party with black ■'trackers, left Wave Hill, this morning to joinrih the search.