Airwoman Missing

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 9

Airwoman Missing

ANXIETY FOR MISS JOHNSON Fierce Desert Duststorms “RATHER SCARED ” SHE SAID EARLIER ANXIETY is felt fox* tlie safety of Miss Amy Johnson, who is flying alone from England to Australia, and of whom there is no news at the two Persian towns of Bnshire and Bunder-Abbasi. On her journey to Bagdad Miss Johnson was delayed by dust-storms which are still sweeping the desert.

United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 1.5 p.m. LONDON, Friday.

A report from Basra.) which is uncontradicted up to midnight, speaks of anxiety that is felt for the safety of Miss Amy Johnson, who is flying alone to Australia, and of whom there is no news in Bushire of Bunder-Abbas. Heavy sandstorms are sweeping the desert, and the ground visibility is less than a mile. A message from Bagdad says: Miss Johnson arrived at Bagdad yesterday. She was forced to stop in the desert for two hours on the way from Aleppo owing to a dust-storm. Miss Johnson wiH continue her flight tomorrow. In explaining her motive for the flight, Miss Johnson said: “When a woman wants to make her mark, she

must do something rather better than any man has ever done.” The airwoman hopes to reach Karachi on Saturday, two days ahead of Hinkler’s time. Her landing in the desert in an unknown spot was made after flying over the Taurus Mountains. She confessed that she was rather scared. She heard dogs barking in the distance, but saw no Arabs Miss Johnson had a revolver ready in case of emergency. She waited until the sandstorm had abated, cranked her propeller, and took off. She found the Tigris and landed at Bagdad. Her arrival was a complete surprise to the staff of Imperial Airways, Ltd. They replenished her fuel and made a slight overhaul of her machine. The plucky girl was tired but happy. She had tea, and then went to sleep.