CHANNEL DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1929, Page 5

CHANNEL DISASTER

THE AIR ENQUIRY. INSTRUCT!YE EVIDENCE. United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) <Ei ■ceivod this day at 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 26. The efficiency of the “ City of Ottawa’s ” lifebelts was the principal question before the resumed Air Ministry enquiry into the Channel disaster. Mechanic Barnett, in his evidence, said that he showed the passengers during the descent how to inflate the belts. That was the only instruction the passengers received in the use of ilie belts. He tried to level Tatham’s IVebelt before the crash, but it did not work. Barnett vigorously denied having remarked that the tiling which caused tho trouble was the ship cracking up. If it had landed evenly al’ could have got out.

Allan Fleming, of Sydney, who was • passenger, said that the ’plane appeared to go straight into tbe water. If was absolute luck that lie got n He could not inflate the lifebelt and did not think his wife corn! inflate hers.

The Flemings, notably Mrs Fleming, gave a most thrilling and most lucid account of the warnings, particularly in reference to. the insufficient warnings to the passengers to prepare for the coming down in the Channel, also the non-utility of lifebelts owing to the lack of instruction to passengers in how to manipulate them. Fleming, when midway in the Channel, while sitting in a cabin abaft th'cockpit, suddenly heard one of the engines click. He knew that somethin" was wrong and prepared for eventualities by- supplying lifebelts to himself bis mother, Mrs Ickerson, and bis wife, upon the- . suggestion of a mechanic, who visited the cabin for tbe purpose of warning tbe passengers that .something was wrong, but who minimised tho danger. Neither be nor his wife were unformed of tbe method of inflating the lifebelts, with the result that they were inflective in both cases.

Both Flemings testified that they were violently thrown forward when tbe aeroplane struck the water and ■‘mmediately afterwards were .submerged by ail inrush of water which flooded the cabin. Although separated, botli being swimmers they managed to "senne through the emergency exit which tbe mechanic bad broken open. They rejoined each other on tbe surface when they scrambled' on the top of tbe aeroplane when it was awash and remained i there until rescued bv a trawler. Mrs Tckors~n was not seen after the crash. Both testified that the lifebelts hampered rather than helped, because they were not instructed bow to inflate them. Moreover, both were handicapped by double overcoats. Fleming stated be bad not decided whether to claim compensation 'when bis health is restored. He is going to Australia shortly. Miss Smith is still in the hospital.