Airmen Safe

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 936, 1 April 1930, Page 9

Airmen Safe

IN WILDS OF AUSTRALIA Found by Search Party MAY BE IN AIR AGAIN TODAY THE New South Wales airmen, D. Smith and 11. W. Shiers, who were lost while on the way to Wyndham' to start on a flight to England, have been found. They are 80 miles from Wyndham and badly need food.

United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 10.15 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. Intimation that the airmen, Smith and Shiers, were found was received from Mr. W. R. Felton, a private wireless experimenter, residing in Sydney, who said he received a message from W yndham yesterday afternoon asking that the civil aviation authorities be advised. Confirmation of this news was received later from Perth. The fliers were found about 1.40 p.m. by Sergeant King’s motor party from Broome. A wireless message received from Smith at Wyndham meat works at 2 p.m. said: “We have been found by Sergeant King’s party. All well. Thanks to station VMZAJ.” The City of Sydney is now expected to reach Wyndham today, after repairs to the machine are effected. King’s party found the airmen near Argyle station, 80 miles south-east of Wyndham. They badly need food. A runway is being cleared at Wynd-

ham for the plane to take off on the first stage of the flight to England. As a result of reports, a search by air for the missing men was begun yesterday in a West Australian Air ways machine, which was flown north west from Perth, to Derby and Wyndham. Another airplane belonging to the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service was made ready for a search from Longrea.ch. Flight-Lieutenant Cl. T. P. Ulm and Mr. H. A. Eitchfield, co-pilot and navigator respectively of the Southern Cross, contemplated joining the air party with a National Airways giant Fokker machine. Further appeals for food and assistance were received from the marooned fliers. They said they were erecting a higher aerial in the hope that their messages would be picked up. Flight-Lieutenant Ulm said lie was confident of finding Messrs. Smith and Shiers within three days. Captain Holden, of the air liner Canberra, said he thought Smith had given his position wrongly.