AVIATION RISKS

Northern Advocate, 18 April 1933, Page 5

AVIATION RISKS

TRAGIC SERIES OCCURRENCES IN SPAIN; NUMEROUS FATALITIES. (United Press Association —By Electrlf Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received 1 p.ra.) ‘ MADRID, April 16.

A series of aeroplane tragedies marred the Easter celebrations. Eight people were killed and seven injured when an aeroplane crashed in flames in a vineyard near Madrid.

A nfaehinc participating in manoeuvres over the city crashed on to a house top, killing the observer and fatally injuring three women who were living in-the garret. The pilot saved himself by parachuting to earth. Lieutenant Gobart, a distinguished military airman and his conpanion, a sergeant,, were killed in a crash during an exhibition of “crazy flying” at the Barajas aeodromo. The mishap was witnessed by several Cabinet Ministers. A Frenchman named Maurice Berthelot, and a woman friend with whom he flow from France, were killed after patieipating in the same display.

| LANCASTER SILENCE,; . 1 I MISSING IN BELGIAN CONGO. ANXIETY INCREASES. ■ (Received 1 p.m.) :n LONDON, April 16. -(‘The’. Times ’ ”' Algiers correspondent says that the authorities have ad- ■ vised all ■ Army aixd Air Force posts jo .maintain 4 lookout for Captain W. ■N.* Lancaster, the British airman who is missing between Eeggan and Gao in the course of an attempted record flight from > England to the Cape. He received permission to fly across French territory and insured against any expenses incurred in the event of a possible mishap. This permission slip he apparently lost at Barcelona, but the Oran authorities allowed him to proceed at his own risk, A (t sirocco, * or dry wind, afterwards prevailed.

ROBBIANO OVERDUE. NO NEWS SINCE FRIDAY..' GRAVE FEARS ENTERTAINED. (Received 10.30 a.m.) CALCUTTA, April 16. Grave fears.. arc entertained for the safety of the “ace” Italian aviator, Captain Leonida Eobbiano, who has mot been heard from since ho- left Calcutta on Friday, the seventh , day of his attempted record flight from England to Australia, i A message from Calcutta says great anxiety' is if ©lt there for Captain Bobbianp.,. When he left Calcutta at 10.15 ;pirn, on Friday he was bound for Victoria' Feint, but he has not arrived ; there.

j ' Neither at Akyab. or Victoria Point da/there any knowledge of the Italian's whereabouts. , It -is feared that he met with an accident in the extremely heavy storms at the week-end in the Bay of Bengal and Burma, and that he fell into the bay.

. FLOATING IN SEA. . ... BELIEVED TO BE ITALIAN. (Received 10 a.m.) CALCUTTA, April 17. The wreckage of an aeroplane was found to-day floating near Chittagong, 200 miles, east from here,:. It is-be-lieved to have belonged to Captain Loonida Robbiano, the Italian air ace, who has not been hoard from since he loft Calcutta at 10.15 p.m. on Friday for Victoria Point, in the course of an Englaml-Australian flight.

MISS BATTEN UNLUCKY. SECOND MISADVENTURE. . CRASH ON A LEDOE. MACHINE BADLY DAMAGED

(•Received 9 a.m.) CALCUTTA, April ,17. 111-luck dogs Miss' .lean Batten, the Auckland girl flier, who is attempting to fly from England to Australia. She was slightly injured today in making a forced landing three miles from the Royal Air Force aerodrome at Karachi. After fitting a new propeller to her machine at the scene of her recent mishap, Miss Batten started, for Karachi. Engine trouble developed and she crashed on a,ledge and.badly damaged her. aeroplane. -The girl flier is showing signs of . i i • 0 I; , J ; # • physical strain, exhaustion and anxiety.

She is still a’t Karachi and her. ihdch'Ino is being fepairod._ Miss Batten was- suffering from Sc-' .7 veto shock, necessitating - modicaf when her plane soinfensdnlted 1 ‘ and Crashed hoar Karachi. The reason why the machine ’’could :/ not be discdverecT from' the aip' fir ; Baluchistan was because friendly Palif- U: chi tribesmen of Las Bela, fearing - that the machine would be damaged by - the raging eand storms, protected 'it - wxCfijfl camel cloth, completely c amohflaging it. But they .-neglected- to cover the engine, where causing a misfire and ■•stoppage~ / ‘.'affe‘if. jsß Miss : Batten ’s ’• departure" for Kiiracju:*',!.s■