GIANT FLYING BOAT CRASHES

Northern Advocate, 25 March 1937, Page 7

GIANT FLYING BOAT CRASHES

Four Killed, One Injured, On Maiden Flight To Egypt (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 24. On her maiden voyage to Egypt the Imperial Airways giant flying boat Capricornus crashed on the snbwclad Beujolais, mountains near Ouroux, 35 miles north of Lyons. Four members of the crew who were killed, were:- — Captain A. Patterson. First-Officer G. J. Klein. 7 Flight-Clerk D. R. O’Brien. > Steward F. A. Jeff coate.' ■ The only passenger, Miss B. M. ■Coates, was injured, while the wireless operator, J; v L. Cooper, escaped Completely. Imperial Airways, in an official announcement states: .“The crash occurred in a severe storm, when visibility was nil. Officials are proceeding to the scene of the accident.” Was Flying Blind. The .flying boat left Southampton at 11 - a.m., planning to alight on the River Saone at Macon, 30 miles from the'scene of the ; disaster, but she en- ’ countered bad weather while following the usual route across Europe, and was flying blind when the crash occurred. . The mishap was probably due to formation of ice and snow on the -wings. Mr Cooper, although badly shaken, struggled through the snow to a lonely farmhouse, where he gave the alarm. Farmcars were sent to the scene, and the bodies were taken to an improvised chapel in the Village hall at . .Otiroux,. ■ - l :• .-'' .•; Miss Coates was taken to hospital. No Trace Of Duchess Of Bedford lßritish Official Wireless .] ■"* ' (Received 2 p.m.) ’ ’ j RUGBY, March 24. So far no trace has been discovered of the 71-year-old Duchess of Bedford or the aeroplane in Which she set out on a short ~ flight:alotte yesterday. Reports have been received of an "aeroplane having been seen flying through a snowstorm, but, despite continuous search by patrols, volunteers and low-flying planes, nothing has yet been discovered. v