Lost in Fog

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1077, 15 September 1930, Page 9

Lost in Fog

AIRMEN RADIO FOR HELP Japan-America Flight BROMILEY AND COMPANION MISSING A RADIO call from the air for assistance is the last that lias been heard of two fliers, Lieut. Harold Bromiley and Mr. Harold Gatty, who left Tokyo, Japan, yesterday morning to fly to America. Thick fog lay along their route, and weather and aviation experts declared that only a miracle could ensure them a safe journey across the North Pacific Ocean.

United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 10.5 a.m. TOKYO, Sunday. Lieutenant Harold Bromley, formerly of Victoria. British Columbia, and Mr. Harold Gatty. an Australian airman, started at 5.10 a.m. today on their attempted flight to America. A radio message intercepted at San Francisco from Bromley at 6.49 a.m., San Francisco time, said the plane was lost in a fog and asked for help. The message added the plane had passed Chirnoi Island, one of the Kurile group, previously. At 1.30 a.m. a message was heard from the plane saying the position was 700 miles off Japan heading toward the Aleutian Islands. Fear for the fliers’ safety was aroused here when nothing had been heard from them at noon, local time. STEAMER CLOSE BY The steamer President McKinley is believed to be the nearest trans-Pacific liner to the position last reported by Bromley. A message from Cleveland, Ohio, says it is estimated that if Bromley were still aloft he would at 11 a.m. local time have been only 200 miles from the steamer, and the plane’s radio would have been heard. But all has been silent from the plane since the fliers wirelessed for assistance. It is understood here that many Japanese fishing boats operate in the vicinity of Chirnoi, which is near the position last sent by Bromley. A message from Alaska says dense clouds and fog over the Aleutian Islands have caused weather observers and aviators there to declare that “only a miracle” would get Bromley through safely. Thick fog and high winds prevailed in that viciinty today. Karlier dispatches from San Francisco stated the oflicials of the United States Weather Bureau informed Lieutenant Bromley that good flying conditions probably would prevail over the Northern Pacific for the latter portion of the flight. The conditions from the Aleutian Islands to Tacoma, Washington, would be unsettled for the next three days. The winds would be strong from the

west, with a velocity of 40 to 50 miles an hour at high altitudes. By taking advantage of these con ditions the airmen would have advantageous tail winds and low clouds. MACHINE SMASHED UP CUNNINGHAM FORCED DOWN ON ENGLAND FLIGHT Reed. 10.5 a.m. SINGAPORE, Mon. The Australian airman, A. T. Cunningham, who set out some time ago to fly to England, made a forced landing in a swamp within sight of the airdrome The wheel of his machine struck a mangrove stump and the machine overturned. Cunningham was uninjured, but the machine suffered a broken propeller, and the wing was damaged. It is not known at present whether the aviator will be able to resume the flight to England TRYING THE ATLANTIC FLIERS FORCED DOWN EARLY U.S.A.-ENGLAND HOP MONTREAL. Saturday. Captain Errol J. Boyd (Canada), pilot, and Lieutenant Harry Connor (United States), navigator. left St. Hubert airdrome. Montreal, this morning for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, on an attempted flight to England in Clarence Chamberlain's trans-Atlantic plane Columbia. The two fliers landed at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, later in the day because of strong head winds and other adverse flying conditions. They propose to leave again tomorrow for Harbour Grace.