HINKLER REACHES SAFETY

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 February 1928, Page 5

HINKLER REACHES SAFETY

FORCED DOWN IN THE TERRITORY. HEAT AND DUST STORMS THE ADVERSE FACTORS. Received this day, 1.5 a.m. BRISBANE, February 26. Bert Hinkler, the Australian airman, who arrived at Darwin from England on Wednesday, but was subsequently missing while en route to Bundaberg, landed safely at Longreach at five this afternoon. SYDNEY, February 26. Hinkler arrived at Camooweal, on the Queensland border, shortly after noon on Saturday. He explained that he was forced down some distance away on account of a severe dust storm, head winds and low visibility. He camped for the night beside the plane. Bundaberg, Hinkler’s home town and destination, was thronged with people waiting to welcome,him. The town went wild with joy when his safety was announced. Messages to-day from Camooweal state that after leaving Darwin, Hinkler had a gruelling time flying over the Northern Territory. For hours he battled against extreme heat, dust storms, and bad visibility, till finally he was forced to come down, and landed at the Alroy Downs Station in the Territory, on Friday afternoon. Suffering from heat and thirst, ho slept the night under a windmill at the station bore. Next morning, one of tho station black boys informed him of his position. Thence, after a good night’s rest, Hinkler few to Alexandria Station, had breakfast, and continued his flight to Camooweal, where he arrived at one o’clock yesterday afternoon. The airman is In great spirit. He appears to have suffered no ill effects. He states that when forced down the engine was running well, but heat, dust, and winds made flying absolutely impossible. Camooweal gave Hinkler a public reception last night. He was to leave for Longreach at dawn to-day and to fly thence to Bundaberg, where he expects to arrive this afternoon. CONGRATULATIONS. (By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. Mr Bruce has received from Mr Coates a cable conveying Now Zealand’s congratulations to Hinklkcr on the success of his flight.