Pilot Killed In Flying Saucer Chase

Northern Advocate, 12 January 1948, Page 2

Pilot Killed In Flying Saucer Chase

NEW YORK. Sun. from Fort Knox, Kentucky, that Captain Thomas Mantell, aged 25. was killed when he took his Mustang fighter up. after reports that people had seen flying saucers. The fighter exploded in mid-air, according to the Kentucky National Guard at Louisville.

Captain Mantell was one of three guard fliers sent up to investigate “small white discs” reported by people in four States. The first report came from Colonel Guy Hix, jommander of Godman Field. He said he spotted a saucer from the observation tower of the airport. It was “very white and looked like an air umbrella.” Planes trying to follow the object reported that it was still above them at*2o,oooft when it disappeared. They estimated its speed at 180 miles an hour.

Week-end Fatalities

When he came in contact with a live wire while repairing an electric winch at the Blackball' State mine about 12.30 pm. on Saturday, an apprentice electrician received a shock from which he died a few minutes later. He was: Keith David Cochrane, aged 18, single, of Blackball.

Cochrane was working with another apprentice, Hugh McDougall. when he received the shock and fell unconscious. STUMBLED Pinned beneath his horse when it stumbled, Terence Robertson Constable, 9, was killed ort his father’s farm at Muriwai. DROWNED Eight hours after Margaret Fay Middleton, aged five, wandered from her home at Wa'inui, near Waiwera, on Saturday, her body was found in a waterhole three miles away. Bus Kills 8 In Queue LONDON, Sun.—Five people were killed, three died in hospital, and 10 others were injured when a bus struck a crowd of shoppers queueing for tramcars in the main street of Bargeddie, Lanarkshire. Five of those injured are in a critical condition.

Horse Float Afire HAMILTON, Mon. (P.A.).—An unusual fire occurred in Grey Street, Hamilton East, on Saturday afternoon when a horse float owned by Mr J. Winder of Te Rapa, was damaged. The car to which the float was attached had stopped after coming from the Cambridge trotting meeting to allow a passenger to alight. Petrol which had leaked was ignited by someone dropping a lighted match. The back portion of the float caught fire, and the occupants of the car quickly released five horses which were being carried. The Hamilton Fire Brigade was called and put out the fire which damaged the interior of the float.