IN FIVE SECONDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16514, 26 August 1921, Page 7

IN FIVE SECONDS.

STORY OF R. 38 TRAGEDY. A STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS. LIEUT. WANN’S EXPERIENCE. By TolegTaph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received August 26, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 25. Interviewed in hospital, Lieutenant Warm said lie was in control of the vessel in the fore-car. They had just passed over Hull when a violent crack was felt, and the forecar began falling. Then it rose at a high angle. He pulled over the water ballast to level the keel. Then a terrific explosion occurred, which must have killed many of tho crew. He did not notice any lire preceding the explosion. They had done a full trial, and had slowed down from sixty to fifty knots before tho explosion. The snapping apparently was due to some structural weakness. The whole tiling happened in five seconds. He denied turning the ship over the river in order to avoid the city. She was running perfectly over tho city. The accident happened when they were over the river. He went down with the ship until close to tho water, when he jumped, but was caught in the wreckage and pinned down for fifteen minutes. 110 did not know how he was rescued, as ho was unconscious. ITe awoke to find himself in hospital. Lieutenant Wann was in charge of the R3S when tho disaster occurred. He is suffering from injuries to his head and eyes, and severe burns and bruises on his body. A GALLANT OPERATOR. STICKS TO HIS POST. Australian and N.Z. Pre*»g Association. (Received August 26, 11 a.m.) LONDON, August 25. Wicks, the wireless man on the airship, gallantly remained on duty till he was burned to death. He actually wirelessed to Howden that the ship’s back was broken, and that she was oil tire and falling. THE KING’S MESSAGE. The King has sent a message to AirMarshal Sir H. Trenchard (Chief of Royal Air Staff since 1918), stating that he was shocked and grieved to hear of the terrible disaster, resulting in the loss of many valuable lives, both American and British, ‘ 1 with whose relatives I deeply sympathise.* *