SURE THEY SAW 'PLANE
RAIWARRA OFFICERS INTERVIEWED UNDER OBSERVATION FOR THREE MINUTES SIX PEOPLE CERTAIN [Special to the * Star.’] AUCKLAND, February 3. .The captain of the steamer Kaiwarra and six other persons on tho steamer, which is now in Auckland, are convinced, in the face of all contradictory reports, that they saw the ill-fated aeroplane, containing Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood, flying.over Porirua at 11 p.m. on January 10. The Kaiwarra was then in Cook Strait, bound from Wellington to Sydney. A wireless message stating that the machine had appeared over Stephen Island had been received, and instructions for a look-out to port were given. It came as a surprise when the chief stewaid reported that he could discern an aeroplane to starboard. The first officer was summoned, the captain followed, and the party was joined by the wireless operator, the chief cook, the second cook, and the assistant steward. All agreed that they could pick out the lines of a moving aeroplane over the land near Porirua.
‘ I am satisfied beyond all doubt that we saw the missing ’plane,” said Captain It. Davies yesterday. 1 Ihe moon threw a light on the machine in a patch of clear sky, and while we watched the aeroplane described two circles and dropped two flares, which vanished before reaching the ground. The moving speck then vanished behind a cloud, after having been under observation for at least three minutes.” Captain Davies said he was aware that the aviators did not carry the approved type of flare. He had, however, since spoken to the air force sergeant, who was one of the last to speak to the airmen before the machine left Sydney. The sergeant had passed the aviators two large wads of cotton waste, with the remark that the material might prove useful. Several feet of rubber tubing bad also been placed in the machine. It had been suggested that it would be quite possible to make a good flare by syphoning petrol on to the waste, and dropping it clear.
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Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 11
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339SURE THEY SAW 'PLANE Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 11
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