CRASH IN FOG

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 February 1935, Page 5

CRASH IN FOG

BRITISH FLYING BOAT STRIKES HILLSIDE IN SICILY ALL ON BOARD BURNT TO DEATH (United Proßß Association— By Eleetrle Telegraph—Copyright) MESSINA, 15th February. One of the four “Singapore” fourenginccl flying-boats, K 3595, leisurely flying to Singapore to re-equip the air base there, crashed into a hillside in Sicily in a fog and caught fire. All on hoard were burnt to death. Misfortune had followed the machine from the start. The machine struck the hillside of Mandrazzi, a spur of the Peloritana Range, four thousand feet high, near the village of San Filippo, at 11.15 in the morning. Apparently the pilot lost his hearings in the clouds during a storm, but the disaster was not witnessed. The wreck caught fire and all the occupants —two officers, six men, and one technician —were burnt to death. They included Flight-Lieutenant Beatty, a half-brother to Lord Beatty. A local carter discovered the burnt wreckage and salved a piece of the machine, which he showed to the San Filippo police as evidence of the tragedy. A Red Cross party, police, firemen, and civilians hastened to the scene. Continuous rain and the absence of roads impeded the rescuers, who after a mountain journey of thrfee hours extricated four charred corpses, including those of both the officers. The rest of those on hoard are believed to have been trapped in the metal hull. Firemen continued to search by torchlight until rain forced them to give up until morning. The K 3592 accompanied the wrecked craft from Naples, where the squadron had been delayed since 2Gth January by influenza and the need of awaiting spare parts from England, caused by a defective engine of the K 3595. She and the K 3592 left early in the morning, leaving the others, which are still at Naples, to follow later. The K 3592 reached Malta at 10.50 and reported having last seen her companion near Messina at 9 o’clock, but missing her over Sicily. She turned back, but failed to find her. She reports by wireless that shortage of petrol compelled her to resume her flight to Malta. The Italian authorities intercepted this message and first suggested the disaster. The Royal Air Force headquarters at Malta vainly sought news from all Sicilian wireless stations, and ordered the K 3592 to turn back and search, hue the weather rendering her efforts fruitless, she returned to Malta. The British Vice-Consul at Naples is going to San Filippo by aeroplane, and the Admiralty has dispatched a warship to Messina.

UNQUENCHABLE FIRE

LONDON, 15th February. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Messina correspondent says that while the police were being notified of the disaster, villagers vainly threw snow on the flyingboat, which burnt from noon until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The flames followed the splitting of the petrol tank. Three medals ..were .found near the wreckage. The only ineans of identifying the flying-boat was the engine, by which the Mayor of the village ascertained that it was British. Italian aeroplanes directed the rescuers, who arrived on donkeys. MEMBER OF CREW REPLACED

LONDON, 16th February,

“The Times” Naples correspondent says that Penn replaced Penny, another member of the crew, ten minutes before the departure of the machines. By wireless the flying-boats arranged to separate just before the crash because fog prevented visual contact. The'cruiser Durban from Malta arrives at Messina to-morrow in order to embark the airmen’s remains for interment in England. WORST DISASTER FOR FOUR YEARS LONDON, 10th February. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Messina correspondent says the San Filippo district is so isolated that a motor car is unknown and firemen took 2| hours on donkey baclc to reach the scene of the disaster, which is the worst disaster experienced by the Air Force for four years. FLIGHT-LIEUTENANT BEATTY LONDON, 10th February. Flight-Lieutenant Beatty served in the Navy during the .war and transferred to the Air Force in 1920. He was one of the most experienced flyingboat pilots. The wife of Reginald Penn, technical officer, heard the news from a wireless set and collapsed. BODIES TAKEN TO MALTA (Received 18th February, 9.40 a.m.) MESSINA, 17th February. The cruiser Durban lias taken the bodies of the air victims to Malta. HIS MAJESTY’S SYMPATHY LONDON, 10th February. His Majesty sent a message of sympathy to the relatives of the victims of the flying-boat disaster.