IN THE AIR.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 August 1919, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. " TWO AEROPLANES COLLIDE. FOUR AVIATORS KILLED. .TRAGEDY FEW YARDS FROM N.Z. TRANSPORT. WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. The troops on board the Somerset, which arrived today, witnessed a terrible aeroplane accident as they were entering Norfolk harbour, Newport News. Two. aeroplanes had come out -to greet them and were circling low over the ship ’s bow when they collided and fell with a Crash into the sea. Four airmen were killed instantly, and one was saw./‘ed. Many of the splinters from the areoplanes fell on the vessel’s deck. The accident happened only about twelve yards from the sllip’s bow, and if the collision had occurred a few moments earlier a large number of New Zealand troops would ‘have been killed or ‘injured. The aeroplanes were flying so low over the ship that the troops were able to speak to the airmen. If the accident had occurred earlier the aeroplanes would have crashed on top of a large body of troops who were congregated on the boat. It is stated that the aeroplanes were of a small type and the airmen were very daring in their methods of flying. '