AVIATION DISASTER

Northern Advocate, 18 July 1933, Page 5

AVIATION DISASTER

PLANE WRECKED EN ROUTE TO LITHUANIA FOUND IN PINE FOREST. TWO OCCUPANTS KILLED. {United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright.) (Received 11 a.m.) BERLIN, July 17. The wreckage of the aeroplane Lithuanicn, and the bodies of Stephen Darius and Stanley Girenas were found in a pine forest at Kuhdanim, Pomerania, 380 miles from Kovno. The police believe that the airmen mistook the tree-tops for a meadow, and tried to land, owing l to petrol shortage, A farmer heard a crash early in the morning. The . weather was bad throughout the night. A notebook contained the words: “Flying from Chicago and New' York to Kovno.” Kovno was not aware that the Lithuaniea had crashed, and a large crowd, including the Prime Minister, M. Juozas Tubelis, awaited their ar-, rival at the aerodrome all night long. It was at first reported that a third body, believed to be that of a stowaway, has been found under the wreckage, but the police later were satisfied that there were only two men in the Lithuaniea. The error arose owing to the bodies being so r*utilated. Darius and Girenas had not been reported last night, by which time theywere overdue at their destination. Left Without Permits. The airmen took off from the Floyd Bennett Field, New' York, on Saturday, at 0.21 a.m. (Eastern standard time) on a flight to Lithuania. They had boon engaged in an argument with officials at Washington about permits to fly over the countries between the United States and Lithuania, and left without obtaining those permits. The argument centred around the question of who should pay 100 dollars for cablegrams to the countries in question. The airmen loft without informing the Held officials of their'intention. National mourning has been ordered in honour of the dead fliers, who will 1 e 1 uried in Lithuania.