FLIERS' MISADVENTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20740, 6 December 1930, Page 13

FLIERS' MISADVENTURE.

FORCED DOWN ON SEA.

MISS SPOONER'S PLUCKY ACT.

SWIMS TWO MILES TO SHORE.

EDWARDS* RESCUE FOLLOW^ By Telegraph— Press Association—Copyright LONDON. Dec. 4. A message from Rome states that Miss Winifred Spooner and Flying-Officer E. Edwards, who left Croydon early yesterday morning on an attempted flight to Capetown, made a forced descent in the Tyrrhenian Sea —that part of the Mediterranean .which extends between the coasts of Italy and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. The two fliers were slightly injured but are safe. They were flying over the sea in the moonlight when engine trouble caused them to descend. Luckily their aeroplane floated and they sent up flares for two hours and constantly shouted. All their signals and cries proving unsuccessful Miss Spooner, who is an excellent swimmer, resolved to attempt to swim to the Italian shore, which she estimated to be two miles away. The sea was choppy and the current strong, so that when the plucky girl landed two hours later she was suffering considerably from cold and exhaustion. She could not find anyone at the place where she had landed, but managed to stumble along to a railway station at Belmonte, where she was given first aid.

The station staff then aroused some fishermen, who set off to rescue FlyingOfficer Edwards. They wcro guided to him by the few remaining flares ho had in his possession. Dawn was just breaking when ho was taken off and the aeroplane was then taken in tow by the fishermen.

Miss Spooner suffered a slightly-injured •nose and bruised lips. Her companion hurt his forehead. At present both are the guests of t,lio Mayor of Belmonte. An aeroplane has been sent to the fliers' assistance by the Italian Minister of Air, General Balbo. Miss Spooner became an air pilot in 1927. She has made a number of historic flights and had several remarkable escapes. She was awarded tho women s trophy of the International League of Aviators in March.