FELL INTO SEA.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20105, 8 December 1930, Page 11

FELL INTO SEA.

# WOMAN FLYER'S GALLANTRY. LONG STRUGGLE IN THE DARKNESS. MACHINE DAMAGED HEYOND REPAIR. (V KITED PRESS ASSOCIATION-—r.K ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH —COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 7th, 5.;> p.m.) HOME, December 0. Miss Winifred Spooner ami HyingOfficcr Edwards are both at Bclmonte recovering from their experiences. Their machine has been found to be damaged beyond repair. The Italian authorities sent a seaplane to be entirely at their disposal. The Italian Press publish long articles praising Miss Spooner'a part in the adventure. She was asleep and Edwards was piloting at the time of the crash. Miss Spooner was thrown violently into the water and lost sight of the aeroplane in the darkness, but through the driving rainstorm she saw a light n.sliore and managed to struggle to land after swimming in heavy living clothes for two hours. She asked that search parties be sent to look for Edwards, and went in one of the rescue boats. They found Edwards almost unconscious from loss of blood and exposure. He was clinging to the tail of the deeply submerged aeroplane, but insisted on remaining there to superintend the towing of the machine into harbour. [Miss .Spooner and Flying-Officer Ivdwards were attempting a flight from Croydon to Cape Town, which they had planned to accomplish in five days, flying at night as well as day. ]

MISS SPOONER'S NARRATIVE

MACHINE'S LOSS OF ALTITUDE. (Received December 7th, 5.5 p.m.) LOXDOX, December 0. Miss Spooner's own narrative throws a new light on her adventure, and shows that the aeroplane flew directly into the sea. After leaving Rome she went to sleep. Three hours later she awoke and noticed that they were Hying in a fog. She asked Edwards for their whereabouts and lie asked for the navigation cliart. While reaching for it there was a terrific crash. A few moments previously tiie altimeter showed 11,000 feet. She could not understand how the mistake had occurred. Directly the machine struck the sea water entered the cabin. "I made an exit through tho window and began to swim," she went on. "I called out to Edwards, 'swim for it.' He apparently did not hear me. I swam two hours before I reached the shore."

FLYERS TO GO TO NAPLES. (Received December 7th, 5.5 p.m.) KOME, December G. The Italian Air Force stnfr dismantled" Miss Spooner's machine for disnatch to Naples, whither FlyingOfficer Edwards and Miss Spooner will proceed, prior to going to London in Edwards's Moth. RlOl ENQUIRY CLOSED. DIFFICULT CONDITIONS WERE EXPECTED. LONDON, December o. The RlOl enquiry has closed. Squadron-Leader Sydney Nixon, in charge of the organisation at Cardington, speaking under stress of emotion, recalled that Wing-Commander R. B. B. Colmoro (who was Deputy-Direc-tor of Airship Development and a victim of the disaster) inspired the drawing up of u document estimating the fuel requirements for the Indian trip, showing that much more difficult conditions were to be expected going home. Wing-Commander Colmore told witness that Major G H. Scott (who was O.C. Flying and Training) would have to satisfv him that editions were favourablci before ho b... tioned leaving for Karachi. He wouid not run risks even under Lord Thomson s (late Air Minister' pressure. Therefore he asked for arrangements enabling Lord Thomson to return by aeroplane by October 20tli if necessary. He added that Wing-Commander Colmore over two years previously urged the provision of mooring masts at Malta, Bagdad, or Basra, not only in view of emergencies, but because such provision would be commercially sound when the service began. The Air Ministry answered that the airshin programme was already extended, and the Treasnrv could not be asked for more money before some flying was done. _ ~ Souadron-Leader R S. Booth questioned regarding Dr. Hugo Eekener s evidence, the opinion tnar, a ship rrenernlly doos not keen an accurate heirbt After dianffin" ■ watch the roinrr-off oorswain should stand bv the newcomer for two «r three minutes to see thnt he got the correct feel. FLIGHT TO ANTARCTICA. OSLO. December o. Financed bv the whaline companies the aviators Riiser T.arsen and Luetzow are mnkinsr n flight to the Antarctic in tlie New Year to discover newlands and also to follow schools of whale's an discover their most P°P"lar abodes, to enable bases to he established closer to them.