CRASHED IN ROUGH SEAS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20504, 24 August 1936, Page 7

CRASHED IN ROUGH SEAS

SERIOUS MISHAP TO AIR MAIL SENIOR AIRWAYS OFFICER DROWNED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received August 23, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 22. Two passengers were killed when the Imperial Airways flying boat Scipio, was wrecked in a crash, while landing on the Bay of Mirabella, en route from Alexandria to Brindisi. The boat was carrying mail, presumably for Australia. SOS Call for Help An SOS message from the ’plane announced that engine trouble was forcing it down at Mirabella. A gust of wind caught the ’plane and swung it off its balance, and it crashed in the choppy seas. Vessels dashed to the aid of the crew and passengers, but found the machine had already sunk, and the beats rescued the survivors. Killed and Injured Those killed were—P. A. C. Forbes and Lieutenant R. G. Wilson-Dixon. The passengers injured were—W. G. Miller, E. A. Beevor, J. M. Grant, C. G. Davies-Gilbert and Barrington. The crew injured V’ere —Captain A. C. Wilcockson (first officer), Long (steward). Hemming and the wireless operator (Birkensha w). Captain Wilcockson is the Imperial Airways veteran, and piloted the first mail service from Croydon to India. Rescue of Survivors The Imperial Airways yacht Imperia, aided by the Cretan tug, rescued the survivors, but rough weather delayed their transfer ashore, despite the assistance of H.M.S. Durban, from Haifa, and a flying boat from Malta. PLANS FOR AUSTRALIAN SERVICE TECHNICAL POINTS UNDER DISCUSSION . United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph Copyright (Received August 23, 6.30 p.m.) DARWIN. August 23. Flight-Captain Page, arriving at Darwin in an R.A.F. flying boat, said it was largely a matter for techncal decision whether the air mail route from Singapore to Sydney would be served by flying boats or land ’planes. Sydney Press View “The Sunday Sun” learns that if the technicians of the Civil Aviation Board and the R.A.A.F. have a voice in the matter, the flying boat scheme will be rejected, and the route will be operated by big land ’planes, carrying all mail and fourteen passengers, at a cruising speed of 190 miles an hour or better. The aviation writer of “The Sunday Sun” contends that the Australian scheme of embodying land ’planes will be both faster and cheaper.