AIRLINER MISSING WITH 15 PERSONS ABOARD

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1949, Page 5

AIRLINER MISSING WITH 15 PERSONS ABOARD

Press Association) %

LAST REPORTED NEAR OTAKI RIVER MOUTH Widespread Search From The Air Commences

, » (Per

WELLINGTON, March 18. The Lodestar airliner ZK-AHX, which was due at Paraparaumu at 9,41 a.m, today from Auckland, i s overdue and anxiety is felt for the safety of the 13 passengers and crew of two.

National Airways "Corporation stated that the aircraft reported when over Otaki and asked for landing instructions, in the normal manner, shortly -before its timetable arrival at Paraparaumu. No further word was received of the aircraft.

The machine* left Whenuapai a few minutes after eig'ht o'clock on insti'ument flight plan from Whenuapai to Wanganui. At ihe Wanganui Homer it roquested a letdown still on the instruments. When approximately five miles north of Foxton, the aircraft reported that it was proceeding under visual conditions and requested authority to proeee.d unUer usual flight rules. It was cleared to proceed visually. At 9.37 a.m. the plane reported its position to be near the Otaki River mouth, and that it was descending. The weather conditions were not stated. The Paraparaumu tower repiied, giving the pilot landing instructions, and nothing further was heard from the aircraft. A report was received from Commander Alexander, who was in chai'ge of an aircraft going into Paraparaumu from the South Island, that he saw a Lodestar letting down above low-lying cloud near the Otaki River mouth. It might have been looking for a gap through the cloud, or going to oue side of it. The aircraft was letting down in a south - sou'theast'direction. Harvard aircraft from Ohakea s(\arched Kapiti Island and the coastal area, but Kapiti's tops were obscured by cloud. Search aircraft from Ohakea have also searched the coastal hills between' Levin and Plimmerton. The Air Search and Rescue Organisation of Air Department was alei-ted within 20 minutes of the plane being reported overdue, and was functioning live minutes later. Two Austers, two Harvards and four Mosquitos are among the R.N.Z.A.F. planes operatimr from Ohakea, while aircraft al Hobsonville, Whenuapai and Wigram are standing by.