MISSING LAUNCH LOCATED

Chronicle (Levin), 7 May 1946, Page 3

MISSING LAUNCH LOCATED

— Pres f Association

RESCUE OPERATIONS HALTED BY DARKNESS

Bp Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, May 6. After au intensive sea search, the lauuc-li Annie, missing from Raglan smee last Friday morning, was located this morning some 65 milos west of Raglan, by a Iludson aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. from Whenuapai. The two men aboard, L. Iv. Ivjeldsen, aged 52, married, and J. D. Mc Glashan, aged 19, single, waved to the crew of the' aircraft and appeared fit. The launch was drifting before a 20-knot wind and in broken sea which made landing by a Walrus flyingboat inipracticable. With r a launch on its way from New Plymouth to contact the Annie if possible and the motor vessel Clansman iu structed to attempt a rescue on her way from Onehunga to New Plymouth, the safety of the two men appeared assured and as an additional precaution, an aircraft maintained contact with the launch throughout the day. When the Hudsou was nearing the limit of its endurauce it was relieved by a Yentura aircraft from Ohakea and returned to New Plymouth to refuel. It later flew to Ohakea to load emergeney equipment intended for dropping to the nien in the launch. A Thornaby bag, ^a stout container holding flotation gear to give it buoyancy and carrying rations, flares aird other emergeney gear, was loaded into the Hudson and a "Gibson girl" radio, a small semiautomatic transmitter for sending a help call, was also suitably paeked for dropping and talcerr aboard the aircraft. The Hudson left Ohakea shortly before five o'clock, it being a race bctween the aircraft. and approachin^ darkness which would elfectively eonceal the launch. As the Hudson arrived over the estimated position of the launclr after nightfall, it was not ppssible to" drop the food and emergeney gear- and the aircraft returned to base." Ano,tlrer aircraft will leave' from Ohakea at dawn in the morning to locate the launch and to drop equipment. . The position of the craft was given. td the ■motor vessel Clansman before her departure from Onehunga for New Plymouth this afternoon and an attempt to lind it was to be made. when the vessel reaclied the area"' late td-night. As the Clansman has no radio equipment the- result of her search will not be known until her arrival . at New Plymouth to-morrow afternoon.;