AIR DISASTER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18587, 22 December 1934, Page 5

AIR DISASTER

DUTCH LINER CRASHES

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING?

PLANE BURNT TO CINDERS

SEVEN OCCUPANTS DEAD

(Elec. T«l. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received, .Dec. 22, noon.) GAIKO, Dec. 21.

The missing' Douglas has -been located by Royal Air Force planes near a spot 10. miles south of Kutbah' Wells. It had crashed and been burnt to cinders. 1 The crew of four, and three passengers—all Dutch —were killed. The ill-fated machine, which was described as a flying hotel, was found near the spot whence she wirelessed asking for her position yesterday, and thereafter nothing was-heard from her. The -plane was 250 miles from Bagdad, whence the K.L.M. representatives are now flying. The crew of the liner 'comprised Comman’der Beckman; Mr Stocnborgeu,. second, officer; Mr 11. Waalewyn, mechanic; and Mr C. Van Zadcllioff, wireless operator. The passengers were: Mr Bcrerry, director of Aneta News Agency, Batavia; Professor Watch, of Batavia University ;%ancl Mr D. Kort.

A tragic coincidence was that the crash must have occurred while Messrs. Parmentier and Moll, who piloted the plane in the air race, were being entertained.at dinner in London in honor of the Melbourne flight. The Royal Air Force planes which spotted the wreck were unable to land owing to the bad state of the ground. The position of the wreckage made it clear that she must have burst into flames the moment she struck the ground. One theory is that the machine- was struck by' lightning before it sent out its last wireless. * These sudden thunderstorms ■ send up whirling columns of dust which sometimes form a sandspout. The scene of the tragedy is within reach of the British armored car station at Rutbah, but motor traffic is impossible owing to torrential rains. . Iraq police and Royal Air Force surgeons, and also the K.L.M. Bagdad superintendent are proceeding to the seene by a special Imperial Airways aeroplane. It is now believed that the liner burst into flames on striking the ground, the impact killing the occupants simultaneously. ' Flight-Lieut. Stone unavailingly attempted to land his Air Force bomber, circling many times over the wreck of the Douglas. Commander Bookman was an experienced airman with 9500 flying hours to his credit. The wireless operator, Mr. van Zadehoif was the only survivor of an air limer disaster at Bangkok in 1931.

HOLLAND IN MOURNING

BODIES RECOVERED

PARMENTIER’S COMMENT

(Received Dec. 22, noon) THE HAGUE, Dec. 21. The crash of the air liner is regarded as a national calamity, and has plunged Holland into mourning. All flags are flown at half-mast, and the principal broadcasting stations are closed. News of the disaster caused consternation. All Holland is shaken in respect of its national pride, following the Melbourne triumph. Relief is expressed that Messrs. Parnienticr and Moll were not aboard. Mr. Parmentier telephoning from. Amsterdam, says: “I have frequently flown over the area in which the disaster occurred, and cannot suggest a possible cause of the crash. The machine was the finest I have ever piloted. Soon after leaving Cairo we experienced very bad weather on the Australian flight, but the machine acted perfectly.’' The bodies of the seven victims of the crash have been recovered, and they will be taken to Rutbah Wells preparatory to removal to Cairo by air.