BEGINNING TO FEAR WORST.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 659, 12 January 1933, Page 1

BEGINNING TO FEAR WORST.

Search Being Organised, but is Regarded as Hopeless. WHERE IS HINKLER DOWN? (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received January 12, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, January 11. CAPTAIN \V. L. HOPE, three times winner of the King’s Cup, says: “ Though we are beginning to fear the w'orst, ’ we are organising a search for Hinkler, but are afraid that it is hopeless. Where can we look? There are three possibilities: (1) That lie is down in the English Channel; (2) that he is lost in the Alps, or (3) that he is down in the Adriatic. I think it likeliest that he came to grief between Brindisi and Athens.” Squadron-Leader Marsden, on behalf of Mr S. M. Bruce and the High Commissioner, has called at the Air Ministry to discuss the question of a search, but no official request for an ,j CCll made owing to the uncertainty as to whether Hinkler is down in French, Swiss, Italian or Greek territory, or whether he is down in the sea.

ROUTE TOO UNCERTAIN.

Air Ministry Cannot Ask for Search. .(Received January 12. noon.) LONDON, January 11. The Air Ministry informs the Press Association that Hinkler’s route is still too uncertain to ask foreign Powers to search. Hinkler’s Mother Listens for Radio News. (Received January 12, 11.30 am.' BRISBANE, January 12. The Hinkler family at Bundaberg are now beginning to display uneasi-

ness as to the whereabouts of their aviator son, Bert, whose mother has not lost hope. She is constantly listening to the wireless and believes that he soon w r ill be located in some unexpected spot. SECRET ROUTE DISCLOSED. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, January 11. Another day has passed without news of Hinkler. He intended keeping his route secret, but as anxiety for his safety is now felt, his London agents disclose that he intended to proceed via Brindisi, or Athens, to Aleppo, Bagdad, Basra, Jask, Karachi, Jhansi, Allahabad, Calcutta, Rangoon, Alor Star and Singapore, and then by way of the Dutch East Indies to Australia.