“BAD CRASH CERTAIN.”

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1931, Page 5

“BAD CRASH CERTAIN.”

KTNGSFORD SMITH’S EFFORTS. SYDNEY, March 27. The un account a Lie disappearance of the Australian National Airways’ ’plane Southern Cloud, with a complement of six passengers and two pilots, has thrown Australia into a ferment, and resulted in an air and land search so intensive as to transcend anything of the kind ever before attempted in this country, and. it is believed, in the world,

The ’plane, on tlm usual SydneyMelbuurne ftervice, left MaScdt aerodrome tin Saturday ut the Usual tilth?, and should have reached Esseiidoh aerodrome, Melbourne, before dusk on Saturday.

Beyond a circumstantial report at the time that the ’plane parsed over Holbrook, near the Victorian border, late on Saturday afternoon, nothing actually was seen of her. Victorian weather at the time was vile, in fact, Melbourne residents claim that it was the worst for 20 years at the least. A strong gale was blowing, low-flying clouds scudded across the sky all day. visibility "'as of the worst, and rain fell in torrents.

The Southern Cloud was in charge of Pilot Shortridge, possibly the best all-weather pilot in Australia next to Kingsford Smith himself, and a man with a record for resourcefulness that inspires only the greatest confidence. The consensus of opinion is (that the ’plane crashed in the StrathbogTe Range, an inhospitable area over which it is believed Shortridge would have attempted to fly in a desperate effort to reach Melbourne as soon as possible. In that area an Army ’plane was pancaked a few years ago, and although the pilot reached a settlement, the closest search for the plane itself was fruitless at the time. The wreckage was found by a land party four months later.

After five days of fruitless searching the only conclusion is that the crash was so had that all were killed or at best so seriously injured that they have been unable to contrive to signal. All available pilots have joined in the search, but the outstanding effort has been (that of Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith, In th e four days that lie has been on the job. he has slopped only after dusk. In that time he has had four hours’ sleep a night, for after the day’s flying the pilots talk over the next- day’s efforts until after midnight.

Haggard and worn, yet determined. “Smithy’’ has vowed that he will not stop flying until he finds the los’ > P lnnc. hut even he is agreed that the worst has happened. With him he b carrying a parachutist and a doctor, and if it is found impossible to land (he big machine anywhere near the spot the parachutist will drop, •arrving food and medical supplies.