IN DANGER.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1923, Page 5

IN DANGER.

BIG FRENCH DIRIGIBLE. APPEALS FuR assistance. STEAMERS RUSH TO RESCUE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Dec. 26, 115 a.m. Paris, Dec. 25. Some anxiety is felt as to the fate of the big French dirigible Dixmude, with a crew of forty, which left the Guers aerodrome on Thursday on a seventy-two hours’ test cruise over Algeria. It was subsequently ordered by the Ministry of Marine not to return to France owing to the strong wind off the coast of Algeria. Ine Ministry has now received a wireless message that the airship is over the Golfe De Gabes. Tunis, appealing for Leip. _ irree vessels have been dispatched ■ for the spot. The military tireless station at Gabes at nightfall indicated that the Dixmude was then near Medenine Place there, where it could land. The Dixmude is the ex-Zeppelin L 72. xue cruiser Mulhouse and other ves- ‘ els have proceeded to the Gulf of Gabes to render assistance- Later advices show that the Dixmude -seems to have disappeared. Messages from Tunis state that the Dixmude is no longer in sight from the landing ground at Medenine, near the Gulf of Gabes. No replies arcobtaining from the wireless or flares It is feared the airship may be out of control as the commander yesterday signalled that petrol was running out and that several of the crefV were ill. Another report .says the airship is damaged and drifting seaward in a violent gale. NO DEFINITE NEWS. REPORTED AS SIGHTED. NO REPLIES TO WIRELESS. Received Dec. 26, 12.5 p.m. Paris, Dec. 25. The Ministry of Marine is still without news of the dirigible Dixmude, which, with fifty men aboard, has been drifting he dessly above the coast of Northern j Africa for four days. It is believed that the commander of the Dixmude. instead of attempting to land near Metinine, would continue to Baranki, near Algiers, where he would possibly obtain sufficient food and fuel to enable him to return to France. Meanwhile, a violent westerly wind is blowing, and this is nullifying the estimates regarding the probability of his course. The maritime prefect in Toulon reported that the Dixmude was sighted yesterday near Tataouin, the commander apparently retaining control of the ship, but the Dixmude has not replied to wireless messages. Furthermore, it is feared that landing would be difficult in view of the mountainous nature of the region. Air officials assert that the Dixmude ha? already established a record for sustained flight, since it is known that she has been in the air for over 150 hours. THE LATEST MESSAGE. Received Dec. 26, 10.15 p.m. Paris, Dec. 25. The latest message from the Dixmude states that she is being driven by a strong wind to the westward of Tatahouiu, and she has sufficient petrol to enable her to keep aloft and choose a landing place when conditions are safe.