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Northern Advocate, 20 May 1929, Page 5

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Last Lap to Australia

GRAVE ANXIETY

(Australian Press Association.) (Received 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sunday. J. Moir and Flying-Officer H. Owen left Bima (Sumbawa Island) yesterday for Australia, on the last stretch of flight from England, and grave anxiety for their safety.- is felt: throughout Australia,

“TO , DARWIN DIRECT” departure from bima. Seen over koepang. ONE PROPELLER SPOILED. (Australian Press Association.) ('Received 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sunday. A .report from Bima on Saturday stated: “Wie left Sourabaya at 7 a.m. yesterday and landed at ißitna at 1 p.m,, this, being our first actual day of fine weather, “The Dutch authorities and the British Consul both wore in touch with Koepang concerning our landing there, but ithe landing ground is impossible, so we ,mnst go from here to Darwin direct. * “ r We leave at 5 a.m. and expect to make the crossing in I?> hours. “Our speed is cut down considerably, as we had .to fly through rain practically from Akyah to Batavia, spoiling one propeller. We are now using the other spare, which has a smaller pitch, consequently iwe are cruising, at least 10 miles slower than our higher 'cruising speed.—(Signed) Moir.”

WARNING UNHEEDED NIGHT LANDING RISKS. INTERMEDIATE HALT THEORY. (Australian Press Association.) (Received 11 am.) DARWIN, Sunday. The failure of Moir and Owen to arrive ds causing alarm. They were warned by the aviation authorities not to attempt a night landing, but apparently it was unheeded. A large number of people gathered and waited patiently till midnight. The. sky was clear, and there was a bright moon. Flares were lighted ami there was an L-shaped scene of boni fires along the waterfront. Every precaution -was taken for the fliers’ safety, but there was no sign of them.

It is quite.' probable that they decided to land at lAtambola, where Ross and Keith Smith 'landed before essaying Darwin, instead of persisting on the 900 miles’ Bima—Darwin hop.

A Weltevreclen message sent at 11.5 a.m. on Saturday stated: “Moir and. Owen departed from Bima for Australia.’’ -. A'lJarwin message' sent at midnight ■ reported that Owen’s plane was seen ■oVer Koepang at 11 a.m. an Saturday, since which time it has not been reported. DISAPPEARED SEAWARD. The Defence Department was in touch with Darwin all .day, but without result. Sir Keith (Smith, who is*also closely identified with Moir’s flight, has received no advice as to the aviators’ thereabouts.’ The aviation authorities state that the naval people report Moir’s plane Was over Koepang at 11.30 on Saturday morning and then disappeared seaward ’ and headed for Darwin. There is little doubt that the aviators wore then bent on completing the Hast stage of their 'Objective before dusk. LONG SEARCH IN VAIN. Captain 1 Grosvenor, Aide-de-Camp to the (South Australian Governor, (Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven, today searched in his plane for 400 miles along, the coast on either side of Darwin. He also went a considerable distance out to sea without, discovering any sign of the aviators. Captain Grosvenor, who is flying round Australia in leisurely hops, happened to be visiting Darwin. He announced on Friday that he intended to fly out to meet the aviators on Saturday and escort them to Darwin. Capain' Grosvemor intends exploring the coastline to Wyndham tomorrow for the missing aviators. ’■ There, is stilll a 'chance that they landed at Atambola, on Timor Island, as it would not toe possible to land at - Koepang/ and some time would elapse before communication could bo received in Australia,

STILL NO NEWS. PROSPECTS SLENDER. (Australian Press Association.) (Received 3 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. There is still no news of Moir and Owen. Hope for their safety rests on the slender prospects of their having turned back and landed somewhere on the island of Timor, The plane is not fitted with wireless. FEARS FOR PILOT BRAIN HAPPILY UNEOUiNDEO. ARRIVAL AT NEWCASTLE 1 .

(Australian Press Association.) (Received 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day.

Anxiety was felt yesterday concerning Pilot Brain, of the Queensland Quantas aviation service, who found the Kookaburra, as he was reported missing after leaving Brisbane on Saturday with a passenger for the Syd-ney-Melbourne railway express. It was thought that he might have crashed in the bush.

Eventually he landed safely at Newcastle. His passenger was Mr W. Bwanton, whose wife died suddenly at Melbourne, and who was attempting to catch the express for Melbourne. Head winds, howsver, delayed ’ the plane, and Pilot Brain decided to stop at Newcastle,

MOIR AND OWEN MISSING 9