Drama Of Jungle

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1024, 15 July 1930, Page 9

Drama Of Jungle

FLIER’S FRIGHTFUL ORDEAL Leaves His Comrade Dying TOOK LONG CHANCE TO SECURE HELP ASSIDUOL’S search in the jungle area lias failed to locate the missing flier, Eric Ilook. who was left in a dying condition while his companion, James Matthews, set out to secure help. The plane, in which the airmen were flying to Australia crashed in the jungle and the men walked for nearly a week searching, for a village, sometimes going around in circles in the dense forest.

United r.A.—By Telegraph Copyright Reed. 10.55 a.m. DELHI, Monday. -Further information is coming to hand concerning the crash which ended the flight to Australia of James Matthews and Erie Hook. Matthews is now in hospital at Prome, a town 160 miles from Rangoon, and is badly injured. It is now known that the fliers were not injured when their plane crashed in a flat open space in the jungle. They started off in the direction of what they believed to he a village, but after some time found themselves back where they had started. They made a further attempt by following the Buyo stream, but as they had to swim a river several times. Hook collapsed. Matthews carried him some distance, but he was too weak to continue. It was a matter of Matthews going for help or lying down to die with Hook, and Matthews took the most practical course. At present there is no news of Hook, although numerous search parties are scouring the neighbourhood where Matthews states he left him.

It is reported that the accident happened about 150 miles from Prome.

Matthews stated earlier that soon after leaving Akyab they were forced to descend in thick jungle owing to a leak in a petrol pipe. The plane was wrecked and both fliers injured in landing, Hook seriously.

They struggled for several days through almost impenetrable jungle which was sodden with monsoon rains; and existed on fruit.

Hook became worse and begged Matthews to go on alone. The latter refused. Hook, who was too weak to walk farther, insisted, and after making him as comfortable as possible, Matthews proceeded in an endeavour to secure aid, and on Saturday he reached a village, where he collapsed. He fears Hook will not survive, as he was left utterly helpless through loss of blood and high fever. Bleeding hands and legs and torn clothing testify to the desperate nature of Matthews’s struggle.

Villagers helped him over the latter stages of the journey.

Planes searched the Yorna mountains and surrounding jungle for traces of the machine and remaining flier without success.