CANADA'S FROZEN NORTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20866, 5 November 1929, Page 11

CANADA'S FROZEN NORTH

A DRAMATIC FATALITY.

PLANE DIVES THROUGH ICE.

(United Press Association.)

. ;: (By Electric ■ Telegraph—Copyright.) VANCOUVER, November 3. The hazardous nature of winter aeroplaning in Canada's frozen north was illustrated, by a dramatic fatality at Mayo, on the southern edge of the Canadian Klondyke. About . the same hour news came of the disappearance of two Alaskan Airways planes piloted by Eielson (the famous companion of Sir Hubert WilMns) . and Frank Derbandt. The Mayo plane was taking off along the bank of the Stewart River on an iced runway, and rese only a few feet, when it suddenly fell. Pilot Patterson, who had not the slightest chance of extricating himself, was .drowned, when the plane sank beneath the ice. Several planes have been operating between JMayo and Skogway, accomplishing in five hours trips which occupy weeks for dog teams. Eielson and Derbandt are long overdue from Nome,. Alaska, to East Cape, Siberia., where they were expected to pick up six passengers and a valuable x rui cargo. It is feared that heavy snowstorms forced the plants down. The M'Alpine party is still missing in the Hudson Bay country. Two planes, •with a. millionaire and mining men, dis- » appeared eight weeks ago into the frozen north,' and a search has been made by planes, which have flown 100,000 miles, but not the slightest sign of them has been seen. The supposition is that the planes, landed on some remote lake, and they were frozen solid and unable to move. The flyers have probably starved to death.