QUITE SAFE

Southland Times, Issue 21091, 24 May 1930, Page 7

QUITE SAFE

MISS JOHNSONTENSION RELIEVED \ A GOOD LANDING MADE ENTIRELY ISOLATED SPOT VILLAGE NEAR ATAMBOEA (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) Weltevreden (Java), May 23. Miss Amy Johnson is safe. She landed at Haliloelik, a village near Atamboea, yesterday evening. She proceeded by motor car to Atamboea and intends to return to-day. She will then fly back to Atamboea, but her departure from thefe is not yet known. This message was sent by the Dutch East Indies radio authorities. It added that Miss Johnson is well and her machine undamaged. $ Miss Johnson landed 20 kilometres south of the landing field at Atamboea on the main road to Koepang, near the Portuguese boundary. As Haliloelik is entirely isolated and without telephones, the whole Dutch Indies from yesterday evening till this morning were alarmed on account of there being no news. The War Department had instructed various commanders of garrisons at the outer possessions to take the necessary measures, while instructions were sent to a Government steamer at present in Timor waters to search for the missing girl. At the same time two Dornierwal seaplanes from Sourabaya were on the point of starting for Timor to look for her, but all measures were cancelled in the nick of time when Timor and Koepang received at 10 o’clock (Java time) the first report of her safe landing, thereby relieving anxious tension, not only because of the unusual interest in such an important world flight, but also on account of general personal sympathy for the brave girl. A report from Koepang states that Miss Johnson was obliged to land at six last evening. The reason is unknown. The nearby Catholic mission of Haliloelik is 16 miles from Atamboea.' Motor cars were sent to bring her to Atamboea this morning, after which she motored back. A message from Sydney states that news of Miss Johnson’s safety was broadcast throughout Australia after lunch to-day. It was described as the best news the people had heard for a long time,'and caused a feeling of profound relief. THE FINAL HOP TO-DAY. (Rec. 1.5 a.m.) Weltevreden, May 23. Miss Johnson arrived at Atamboea in the plane from Haliloelik. She is hopping off for Darwin to-morrow at dawn... “WONDERFUL RELIEF.” (Rec. 1.5 a.m.) London, May 23. , “What a wonderful relief,” were the first words of Miss Johnson’s father when told that she was safe. Her mother was terribly worried. “Neither of us could feel certain that she would reach Australia,” she said. EARLIER REPORTS SOME UNEASINESS FELT. MISS JOHNSON’S APPREHENSIONS. Weltevreden, May 22. Uneasiness is felt about Miss Amy John, son. Els since passing Bima nothing has been heard of her. The wireless station at Koepang, which has also telephone communication with Atamboea, was specially kept open until eleven last night (Java time), but it reported at closing hour no news of Miss Johnson. In an interview with the Sourabaya correspondent of the London Daily Express Miss Johnson’s last words were: “The less I think about this the better. I know awfully well that the last stretch of the Timor Sea will give me the fright of my life, but I am going on.’’ Before she set out for Atamboea, the Dutch mechanics bad the aeroplane in good condition, and Miss Johnson carefully inspected and tested the engine and said she was satisfied. A great crowd assembled before dawn and Miss Johnson declared that she wls anxious about the Timor stretch. “I know it is the most of the lot, but I shall fly high and am feeling fit,” she said. Two fingers of Miss Johnson’s left hand were injured during the Java- Sea crossing. She said: “They seem slightly septic, but I am not worrying and will not allow the pain or discomfort to stand in the way of my fixed determination to reach Australia. Nevertheless it is unlikely that I shall return by air, as there have been too many troubles on this flight.” She confessed that the flight had been-too' much for her, requiring more than she possessed in experience and strength. She admitted that flying over the open sea frightened her considerably.' “Oh, you should know the forlorn feeling of b.eing alone on a frail machine, every moment dreading the motor will stop and you have to face a calamity. No, never, never, again,” she said. Miss Johnson’s father, interviewed in London, said he was anxiously awaiting news. He had not given up hope, and if Amy had landed on a small island it might be some time before her whereabouts were known. Mr. Bert Hinkler said: “We can be optimistic. If anything has gone wrong she should be all right flying over the series of islands which are thereabouts somewhat akin to stepping stones. There is not any particularly long water jump; on the other hand, there is not much shipping. It is most likely if she was forced down that she selected a rice field, where one reasonably expects she could escape without much damage. It should not be difficult to locate her, no matter in what remote part she landed.” Sir Alan Cobham, discussing Miss Johnson's flight, said that the route over which she passed yesterday contained a number of little islands, on which it was quite possible that she might have made a forced landing more or less safely. She would have nothing to fear from, the inhabitants, who were pleasant people except at the far end of Timor Island, where they were rather wild. The weather should'be quite good, as he was in that part himself at the end of June. KAY’S EXPERIENCE FORCED LANDING ON BEACH. Auckland, May 23. Regarding Miss Amy Johnson being reported overdue, Flying Officer Kay, who flew from Sourabaya to Atamboea, in March recalled his experience when nearing Atamboea caused by the rapid oncoming of darkness. He said that Miss Johnson was reported over Bima at 11.30 yesterday morning making for Atamboea, and he was very doubtful of her reaching that place before

dark. He and Flying Officer Piper made a forced landing at 5.30 in the afternoon in total darkness, being guided only by the surf.