THIRTY DEATHS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26747, 16 April 1948, Page 5

THIRTY DEATHS

CONSTELLATION AIRLINER CRASHES TRAGEDY IN IRELAND Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Apl. 15. A Pan-American Constellation airliner, Empress of the Skies, flying from Karachi to New York crashed at the entrance to the main runway at Shannon airport, Ireland, early this morning. She carried 21 passengers and a crew of 10. There was only one survivor. He is Mr Mark Worst, European head of the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. One report says he was pitched out of the airliner. The Constellation left London airport at 1.25 a.m. and a report says it was making a second pass at the runway when it hit an obstacle near the airport and burst into flames. It was completely burned out. Nineteen of the killed were Americans, five Italians, three Indians, one British, one French and one was stateless. Worst, who escaped with a burned hand and severe shock, told the British United Press that the aircraft seemed to fly directly into the ground. The impact flung him through the belly luggage compartment as the aircraft disintegrated. “ I was a little dazed but was able to get up and walk away from the scene,” he said. He added that there seemed nothing wrong with the aircraft, but the weather was bad with a ground mist. His wife, waiting for him at the airport, saw the crash. Pan-American officials at Shannon said the Constellation was making an instrument approach landing in low visibility.