JERSEY AIR CRASH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23669, 29 November 1938, Page 10

JERSEY AIR CRASH

FOURTEEN PEOPLE KILLED CAUSE A MYSTERY i (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 7. Fourteen lives were lost when a Jersey Airways airliner crashed a minute after taking off from the Jersey airport for Southampton. It bounced along a tomato field for a few yards, killed a labourer, and burst into flames. Nobody escaped. Among those killed was a 13 months' old baby girl. There was a terrible explosion, and debris was hurled over an area an acre in extent. So far the cause of the crash is unknown, but there is a theory that it was associated with the aeroplane's blind flying instruments. The airliner's four engines were 50 yards apart. Struts and instruments, broken seats and wires were interlaced with women's jumpers and underclothes, men's suits, and pieces of suitcases blown open in the explosion. Lying on the banked hedge of the lane which divides the turnip aid tomato fields were torn fashion books, a child's rattle, a doll, a woolly ball, a shoe, and a sock. On another hedge was a box of ruined cigars. The airliner's wheels were 200 yards from the rest of the debris. The farm labourer killed, Le Cornu, and another man, Mr Peter Le Saux, were at work in the field when the machine crashed. Both threw themselves to the ground, but Le Cornu was too late. He was carried 40 yards and hurled into a turnip field with the bodies of four other adults and the baby. His coat was torn from him and fell 10 yards further on.

Two people had arrived at the airport toy late to claim seats they had booked. One of them, Mr Louis Morris, a kinema proprietor, was an eye-witness to the crash.

"I saw the air liner take ofl normally and circle round. Then it was lost in the mist." he said. " Suddenly, it came out of the mist, apparently attempting to land. It was very low, and I realised she must crash. She struck the ground, bounced, struck again and burst into flames. My chauffeur and I ran over, but we could no nothing Nor could the firemen and ambulance men, who arrived at the same time. I heard the petrol tanks explode and saw bodies hurled out of the flames." Among those killed were Captain and Mrs W. D. Swan, with their child. They were on their way to India At the subsequent inouest Mrs Swan's father, Major Beazley, was called to identify his daughter and the baby. Pierre Le Saux made a statement in which he said:— "I was with my foreman. Le Cornu (one of those killed) mowing the field. Durin? the morning I happened to look up, and I saw an airplane coming towards me. It was (lying so low thai I threw myself to the ground, but the plane struck him on the forehead. I looked up again, and saw the plane strike the edge of the field. I looked for Le Cornu, but he was missing. I could not gel very close to the plane It was a mass of flames." Another witness, Mr Hulin, was working on his farm near by when the crash occurred. "The first body 1 found was drenched in petrol," he said, " and was from head to foot aflame. The boy and I tried to smother the flames with our caps. The little baby," he continued with difficulty. " was the most pathetic of aIL " The inquest was adjourned. A half-burnt novel was picked up from the wreckase. It opened at the chapter. "Travelling Towards Freedom."