AIR FLIGHTS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1933, Page 5

AIR FLIGHTS

FORCED DOWN

MISS BATTEN’S PERFORMANCE

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright)

CALCUTTA, April 15

After being marooned hi the waist e of Baluchistan, where she w«s succored by friendly tribesmen who escorted •he,. t 0 Las Bela the capital of the provinces, Miss Jean Batten (who was Hying to Australia), arrived at Karachi on a nib tor-lorry which was provided by British officials. Th e lorry took nearly .12 hours to travel the distance over rough tracks. She encountered one of the worst •sandstorms known i n th e Persian Gu’f, and stecplechased ove r the hills and crevasses of a wild country. She saw a fiat piece of ground, and landed, only to find lit was rurrshy. The aeroplane tilted and the' propeller was broken.

Her pluck was shown shortly after her arrival at Karachi. She wanted to return by motor-lorry to her stranded machine with a new propeller, but a member of the Aer 0 Club offered to take her this morning. Her tim e of 4j- days to India, is Yho best yet for a woman flying between England niid Australia, Miss Batten was unable t 0 locate her machine, although she made reconnaissance flights. Finally she went in a car to Las Bela.

The position, therefore, is that she cannot hope to beat the international record for the flight, but intends to .carry on as soon .as her machine is discovered.

AIISS BATTEN’S PLANE DAMAGED.

(Received April 18 at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 16. 111-luck dogs Mis.? Jean Batten who was slightly injured in a forced landing three miles from the R.A.F. aerodrome at Karachi. Miss Batten, after fitting a new /propellor at the scene of the recent mishap, started' for Karachi. Engine trouble developed and she crashed on a ledge, and badly damaged the plane. Miss Batten is showing some signs of physicial exhaustion and anxiety.

MISS BATTEN’S MISFORTUNE

(Received this day at 11.14 a.m.)

CALCUTTA, April 17

Jean Batten suffered severe s hock necessitating medical aid when her plane somersaulted 'and crashed near Karachi. The reason why her machine could not b e discovered from the air was because' friendly Bahwhi—'tribesmen of Las Bela, fearing the machine might be damaged by raging sand, storms, protected it with camel cloths, completely camouflaging it; but they neglected 't w cover the engine, into which the sand penetrated causing it to misfir e and stop after hej. departure for 'Karachi.

A GERMAN FLYER. „

ALEPPO, April 15,

Herr Hans Bertram has arrived from Bushire. He has abandoned the attempt to fly from S°utabaya to Berlin in six days, which meant reaching his destination to-morrow.

MRS BONNEY STARTS

DARWIN, April 15.

Mirs H. B'onney left at 6.50 this morning on the first hop to Koepang of her flight to England. She had good weather and a following wind.

ARRIVAL AT KOEPANG

Mrs Bonney, who is flying to England from Australia, arrived here at 10.35 a.m.

CAPT. LANCASTER MISSING

PARTS, April 15

A message has been received here that th e tnang-'Saharan motor-ca r discovered no clue of Captain W. N. Lancaster, who is missing on his flight to the Cape.

ROBB IA NO AGAIN MISSING

(Received April 18 at 8 a.m.) CALCUTTA, April 16.

Great anxiety is felt for Robbiano, who left Calcutta at 10.15 o’clock on Friday night for Victoria. Point, ]>ut has not arrived. Both Akyab and Victoria) Point are unaware of his whereabouts, and it is feared that lie ha s met with an accident. Extremely heavy storms were experienced during the week-end in the Bay of Bengal and Surma.

FLOATING WRECKAGE FOUND

(Received this day at 11.120 a.m

CALCUTTA, April 17

The wreckage of an aeroplane floating near Chittagong is believed to be that of Robbiano’s machine.

WIDE SEARCH EOII LANCASTER

(Received Ap v il 18 at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 16

French military aeroplanes have commenced an intensive search for Captain Lancaster. This news ha s stopped Mrs Keith Miller from ■ completing plans for an organised search for Lancaster, who is carrying sufficient food and water fop ten days.