THE LOST AIRMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20703, 29 April 1929, Page 9

THE LOST AIRMEN

SEARCH PARTY NEARING THE KOOKABURRA. KINGSFORD-SMITH INTERVIEWED (United Press Association.) (B r Blectrlo Telegraph—Copyrlgnt.) SYDNEY, April 27. Latest advices from Wave Hill state that the ground party, led by Lieutenant Eaton, is within 10 miles of the Kookaburra. The Canberra reached Bourke last night. Pilot Brain arrived at Brisbane after a trip of 4 hours 10 minutes, thus heating by 10 minutes the late Mr Anderson’s Sydney-Brisbane record. Interviewed at Narromine, SquadronLeader Kingsford-SmitH said be flew tbe Southern Cross as low as 15 feet above the Kookaburra. All the members of the crew were quite definite that it was Anderson’s body under the wing. From appearances he had been dead many days.' Smith and Uhn expressed delight that the Prime Minister had ordered a full inquiry into the circumstances attached to the forced landings of the Southern Cross and the Kookaburra, Captain Matheson, in the Goulburn Moth, has, also arrived at Narrowmine. He stated that had he not been marooned at Duchess he would have been flying over the route taken by the Quantas Air° ways plane at least eight days before its arrival at the area for the search, and would probably have sighted the .Kookaburra in time to bring succour to its crew, CAPTAIN HOLDEN’S OPINIONS. SEARCH PLANES FLEW TOO HIGH. SYDNEY, April 28. (Received April 28, at 5.5 p.m.) Captain Holden, of the air liner Canberra, is of the opinion that Hitchcock’s body will not be found near the Kookaburra. Referring to the Southern Cross, he believed that most of the search planes flew too high, so that while their field of vision was widened objects on the ground became indistinct. Tbe Canberra’s crew looked fit on arrival at Mascot, but had felt the cold severely.— Australian Press, Association—United Service. ARRIVAL OF THE SOUTHERN GROSS. . SYDNEY, April 27. The Southern Cross arrived.at Richmond from Narromine at 10.50 a.m., having covered the journey under two and a-half hours. A large crowd witnessed the arrival and gave the airmen an enthusiastic welcome. Tho engines' functioned perfectly, but the fabric of the wings is in a bad state. The Canberra, on' her way from Bourke, was last reported as passing over Nyngan. 1 ° CREW OP THE SOUTHERN CROSS. “A PRETTY ROUGH SPIN.” SYDNEY, April 28. (Received April 28, at 5.5 p.m.) The Southern Cross and her crew pr*--sented a changed appearance when they landed at Richmond to-day. Both the machine and m«V were bearing evidencf of the hazards and hardships to which they had been exposed during the month since they started their flight for England. "How are you going, -Smithy?’ 1 shouted someone above . the general clamour of welcoming friends. “ We were just about going,” replied KingsfordSmith. Their drawn fac**s with new lines graven on them told more clearly than words how the four men had suffered during their adventure. The reunion of the families was invested with a graver and more touching character than any of the previous returns. " Wo have had a pretty rough spin,” said Smith, adding that they all felt numb. That was understandable, as the day, though fine, was bitterly cold on the ground, and must have been freezing aloft. All the crew are still feeling the effects of their experience, and cannot stand the strain of continued effort. Though the Southern Cross looks shipshape to the ordinary observer critical eyes soon discover many things needing an overhaul. SJmith hopes, however, that the, reconditioning will ' not take long,'so that they can make a fresh start on their flight to England.