IN DESPERATE PLIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 379, 13 June 1928, Page 9

IN DESPERATE PLIGHT

Survivors of Wrecked Italia "WIRELESS WILL SOON CEASE” ’Planes and Ice-Breakers Speed to Rescue

J-T.il 3 planes and ice-breakers are speeding to the rescue of the crew of the wrecked Italia, the latest wireless messages from General Nobile, who has returned to his wireless post alone, indicate that the plight of the survivors is desperate.

( United P.A. — By Telegraph Copyright) Reed. 2.30 p.m. LONDON, Tuesday. Italian flying boats which were speeding northward to aid the Italia were forced down in Holland owing to lack of fuel. They later reached Amsterdam, and took off to-night for Copenhagen, but they are not expected to reach Spitzbergen until Friday. There is a growing feeling of pessimism. Captain Raold Amundsen says that every day is vital. Norwegian experts express the opinion that action has been left dangerously late. Any large airplanes and ice-breakers should have been dispatched at a much earlier date. The situation is further endangered by a sudden turn of bad weather north of Spitzbergen. In the meantime General Nobile has wirelessed that he has abandoned his intention of trekking to the Hobby. He has returned to the wireless post, allowing his three companions to proceed alone. He says that the wireless will soon cease, as their accumulators are running down. He adds: “We are physically exhausted by

[ our efforts to reach a point of rescue. The main party, which consists of seven, is sheltering in a tent rescued from the gondola, which is useless. The storm which is raging threatens to destroy the tent, which is painted red to facilitate observation from the air. “There is definitely no news of the whereabouts or fate of the other two parties. It is 12 days since the three parties left, with the intention of walking to Cape North to seek aid. Similarly nothing has been heard of the seven who were carried off on the detached derelict envelope. General Nobile also wirelessed that lie himself was ignorant of their fate, all messages that he had sent concern the main party alone, who have had the greatest hardships during the past four days owing to the absence of ! means of preparing warm meals. APPEAL TO SOVIET The Riga correspondent of “The Times” states that the Italian Government has requested the Soviet to continue its relief efforts, for which the world’s most powerful ice-breaker, Krassin, has been ordered to King’s Bay, starting on June 13. Tlie ice-breaker, Malygin, is leaving Archangel to-night, equipped with several months’ provisions, clothing, arms and short-wave wireless apparatus. A seaplane in charge of Pilot Chukhr.ovsky, receiving wireless instructions, is en route by the steamer Persei, which left Murmansk for Hopies Land with powerful short-wave apparatus.