A TRAGIC STORY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18514, 27 March 1922, Page 5

A TRAGIC STORY

SEAPLANE FALLS INTO SEA. PASSENGERS’ TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. PILOT THE ONLY SURVIVOR Free* AMOoißtion—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, March 25. (Received March 26, at 5.5 p.m.) A report from Miami, Florida, states that a passenger seaplane fell into the sea and five passengers were drowned. The pilot, Moore, was rescued. Further reports state that on Friday the boat overturned, and Moore and one passenger were then clinging to the wreckage. Finally the passenger was too weak to hold on, ana, handing his money to Moore, slid into the sea. Moore hung on till Friday night, when he was picked up by a tanker, nine vessels having in the meantime passed by without seeing him. On the arrival of the tanker at Miami a tragic story was revealed. Moore was incoherent after regaining consciousness, but his statements, pieced together, show that the seaplane left Miami on Wednesday, bound for Bimini, carrying two married couples and another woman. On Wednesday morning the propeller broke and the plane descended into the sea, where she drifted till Thursday, the passengers dinging to the wreck. On Thursday morning the hull began to leak, the passengers pumping frantically. On Thursday night one woman jumped overboard and her husband followed, both being drowned. Then the two other women were washed overboard and disappeared, leaving one man and the pilot.