WHERE IS KINGSFORD SMITH?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20261, 9 November 1935, Page 17

WHERE IS KINGSFORD SMITH?

MISSING IN BAY OF BENGAL AIR LINERS REPORT STORMS ’PLANE BELIEVED FORCED DOWN AT SEA United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 8, 10.25 p.m.) SINGAPORE, November 8. Anxiety is felt at the non-arrival of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, who has been in the air for 16 hours. The load of petrol he carried was sufficient for that period. He is four hours overdue, and it is believed that he was forced down somewhere between Rakyap and Malaya. An Imperial Airways liner near Penang reports a storm in that vicinity. BELIEVED FORCED DOWN AT SEA REPORTS FROM OTHER AVIATORS United Press Association—By Electric Tel egrapb—Copyright (Received November 8, 11 p.m.) SINGAPORE, November 8. A later message reports’- that there is no further news of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. C. J. Melrose, who is also flying to Australia, and arrived at 2.25 p.m., in an interview, said that he saw a ’plane which undoubtedly must have' been Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's, pass 200 ft above him at 2 a.m. while he was flying over the Bay of Bengal, 150 miles from land. Melrose saw a flame in the- darkness, seemingly coming from "Smithy’s” twin-exhaust. It is believed that Sir Charles has been forced down at sea between Rangoon or Akyab and Victoria Point. Singapore is sending out a wireless SOS to all ships to keep a watch. A squadron of bombers, which is at present up country, has been ordered to prepare to leave for a search. With Mr T. Pethybridge as co-pilot, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith left Lympne in his Lockhead Altair aeroplane Lady Southern Cross at 6.27 a.m. on Wednesday, and reached Athens at 4.30 p.m. He left Athens for Baghdad an hour and forty minutes later. Sir Charles landed at Allahabad at 5.25 p.m. local time on Thursday. He was then 2hr 47min behind Mr C. W. A. Scott’s time. Sir Charles left again at 6.25 p.m. for Singapore. He passed over Calcutta at 9.6 p.m. Sir Charles, who had a wash and took refreshment at Allahabad, stated that nothing untoward had occurred between Baghdad and Allahabad. DARKNESS BRINGS NO NEWS SEARCH RESUMING TO-DAY United Press Assoclfttlon--By Electrlo Telegraph —Copyright (Received November 9, 1.38 a.m.) SINGAPORE, November 8. Darkness brought no news of “Smithy.” C. J. Melrose is joining members of the Royal Air Force in a search to-morrow. Hope has not yet been abandoned, because there are many desolate spots where the airmen might have landed, and where they woifld be unable to make contact with civilisation.