TIN CAN ISLAND ERUPTION

Chronicle (Levin), 25 September 1946, Page 5

TIN CAN ISLAND ERUPTION

Press Association

REPORT BY OBSERVER

By Telegraph —

AULJvl.AiN U, Wept. 24. T.he first .aircxaft to fiy over Niuu . ifoou (Ti, 11 Can Jslaud), folJowing tlu . recent volcanic dislurbaxee there, Oakota of No. 40 iSquadron, returneoto New Zealand today. Tlie aircra-ft vvhicli was 011 a routine run to iSanioii. •tlew over -the island 011 September h and again 011 its way back to New Zea ; ■land last Thursday, giving the crew ai. oppor.tunity of seeing how volcanii ac-'tion had spread to engulf a largi. part of the atoll. iiecaime the radio station at Nivm-foou had been silent for some days, tlie aireraft, eommanded by Flight Lieuterant it. A. Probert, wa's diverted from its usual route to fiy over the island. ITnfavaurable weather prev.en.ted o.bservation fro.ui a distance but as -the aireraft approaciied and altitude vvas lost, the crew saw there had been a sevc.re disturbance on the morthern part of the island. ■ "Sonmbody had eul .the let.ters S.O.P 12ft. higli in the coolod lava," Flight Lieutenant Probert sal^l. "The 110'rth ern part of the island was smoking .from valcanic aetion when we flow over again Jast Thursday. The eruption had .extended westward leaving about one fcliird of the original area still habit abl e. ' ' One large area of the eruption, lookinu from. .the air like a huge bla&k -hole ii ilie grouiul, and three smaller oncs, dis ligured tlie island, he continued. When the aireraft first fiew- over some tem porary huts were seen and tlie people ineluding oue white mnn, were wavjne violentl.y and had also hoisted flags Some distance away was anothei group of people ineluding a man who appear ed to be a priest. Efforts to signal with an Aldis lamp were unsuccessful .and attempts to semaphore a*message. made by oue of the -men on ihe island. had 110 hetter result. There was notli- ' 'ug to indicate 'whether anvone had been injured. Flight Lieutenant Probert added tliat reseue eraft had not reported at tlie (ame ,lris aireraft left the area. «,