STORM IN CONGRESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 25 January 1939, Page 7

STORM IN CONGRESS

FAILURE TO PROVIDE SAFETY EQUIPMENT IMPERIAL AIRWAYS ATTACKED j (Received 25th January, 9.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON. 24th January ! The revelation that Imperial Airj ways’ flying-boat Cavalier, which crashed midway between New York and Bermuda, though carrying Ameri- : can passengers, had not been passed as j airworthy by the American authorities, ! raised a storm in Congress to-day. Senator Reynolds declared that Imj perial Airways’ failure to provide de- ; icing equipment was gross negligence. , Other Congressmen criticised the com- | pany severely. j Representative Maas said that planes ! r.ot equipped in this way should be j grounded for immediate and radical j changes. As a icsult of this an arrangement by which the United States of America j and Britain will exchange air comI merce facilities is forecast, and Imperial Airways’ planes will be forced to ! meet American standards of safety be- ! fore taking off from American airports, j The number of lifebelts on the Cavalier j was also criticised. Captain Anderson | states that the survivors had nine, but the passengers say six. # The “New York Times” comments euitorially that lifebelts hastily lashed together saved 10 of the Cavalier’s passengers, but that collapsible rubber [ boats and inflatable liferafts with flares j are more efficacious. They are the standard equipment on Pan-American Airways’ machines.