DRAMA OF THE AIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22327, 30 July 1934, Page 8

DRAMA OF THE AIR

BALLOON RIPPED BY WIND OCCUPANTS USE PARACHUTES (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) NEW YORK, July 28. (Received July 29, at 8 p.m.) A message from Loomis, Nebraska, states that three army balloonists made safe parachute descents to-night from a plunging stratosphere balloon, the bag of which was ripped by a cross wind after the balloon had ascended 11 1-3 miles above the earth in quest of scientific data and u new altitude record. Hydrogen poured rapidly through the rents, the balloon falling at the rate of 500 feet a minute, and the scientific mission of the trio—Major William Kcpner, and Captains C. Anderson and A. Stevens—developed into a dramatic and desperate battle with death in the metal gondola 60.000 feet above the earth. Terse wireless messages from the balloon reported for several hours a scries of grave circumstances. The last message stated that the balloonists were prepared to leap with parachutes. Anderson jumped from 2000 feet, and Stevens followed, while Kepncr, who commanded the expedition, leaped last when the careering balloon was only 500 feet from the ground. The balloon, which had a gas capacity of 3,000,000 cubic feet, was the world’s largest. It was damaged beyond repaU by the crash and it is feared that the scientific instruments have also been destroyed.