RESCUE OF LOST FLIER

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1933, Page 7

RESCUE OF LOST FLIER

THREE WEEKS IN SIBERIA

LIVED BY SHOOTING BIRDS

CRASH ON ARCTIC FRINGE

PASSING BOAT SEES SIGNAL

By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Moscow, July 10. James Mattern, the American round-the-world flier, who was discovered in the extreme north-east of Siberia following a flight to Moscow from Norway at the conclusion of a record Atlantic crossing, shot wild birds to sustain life until coastguards, making the first trip up the Anadyr River after the winter ice had broken, found him unhurt. Mattern was previously unable to obtain help as the only inhabitants of the desolate region are nomadic tribes. He is now at the town of Anadyr • endeavouring to arrange salvage of the badly damaged machine. A later message says that after his forced landing Mattern spent nearly three weeks in desolate country on the fringe of the Arctic. He only once saw human beings, when he spied a barge sailing down the Anadyr River. He frantically signalled, but was too far away.

For eight days Mattern lived on. the scene of the crash. His scanty ration of chocolate and biscuits was exhausted in three days. Then he shot small game, which was scarce. He often went hungry. On the ninth day he moved to the river bank and built a hut with young cedar trees, where he lived for six days. Hope of rescue was growing fainter daily. Then two barges manned by Chukchi natives saw his signals and took him to. their camp, where he met Soviet guards who had been searching. They took him to the settlement of Anadyrchukota.