Tragedy of Italia Reaches Last Act

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 612, 14 March 1929, Page 9

Tragedy of Italia Reaches Last Act

NOBILE RESIGNS PENALTY FOR FAILURE (United P.A. —-£)/ Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) Reed. 9.5 a.m. ROME, Wednesday. With the acceptance of General Unberto Nobile’s resignation of rank and office, the tragic chapter of the Italia expedition reaches its last page. Nobile had been blamed with badly handling the airship, and had been castigated for accepting priority of rescue when the Swedish airman. Captain Lundborg, found the party. A Royal Decree announces that General Nobile resigned in order to secure freedom to vindicate himself, because he does not accept the Commission’s conclusions. So ends dismally a bold attempt to win lame for Italy. To celebrate the Fascist anniversary, Signor Mussolini and his confreres decided on two bold ai.r ventures. One, the record long flight from Italy to Brazil, was successfully accomplished; the other was the Italia expedition. Nobile, who sprang to fame and was given the rank or general for his participation in the Amundsen-Ellsworth -Nobile flight over the North Pole, was chosen as leader. Amundsen, who later sacrificed his life in going to the Italians’ aid, held from the start that he did not have enough experience. But Italy’s hopes soared high, and there was a wave of patriotic exultation when the great airship rose at Milan and sped north toward the Arctic. The cheering was soon hushed.

The Italia reached Spitzbergen from Rome early in May, 1928. On May 25, when she was flying smoothly at a height of 500 metres, after having flown across the North Pole, she suddenly dived and struck the pack ice. The gondola containing General Nobile and eight other members of the crew, including the wireless operator, was torn away from the dirigible and crashed. The airship, with the remainder of the crew, was carried on by the wind and fell some distance away. It was afterwards decided that some of the party should attempt to reach land, and the Swedish scientist, Professor Malmgren, accompanied by the two Italian commandants, Mariano and Zappi, set out for North Cape, North-East Land. The Swedish airman. Captain Lundborg, first rescued Nobile, and subsequently the rest of the party were taken off the ice by the crew of the Russian ice-breaker Krassin. The Fascist-Italian failure gave a triumph to Soviet Russia. Captain Amundsen set out from Norway on June 19, to search for the castaways. He was accompanied in a French airplane by Major Guilbaud and two o.r three companions. They totally disappeared. Professor Malmgren died on the ice and an engineer succumbed to injuries. The following were carried away in the envelope of the airship:—Professor Pontremoli (who, according to Professor Behounek was killed in the crash), Dr. Lago, and the members of the crew, Arduino, Allesandrini, Pomellu, Carappi and Cioaca. They have never been found.