HEAD-ON COLLISION

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 402, 8 April 1937, Page 5

HEAD-ON COLLISION

NAVY BOMBING PLANES FOUR AIRMEN KILLED. Machines Sink Immediately. Press Association —Copyright. (Received! 9.5 a.m.) , San Diego, April 7. The naval air station at San Diego reported to-day that four navy fliers were killed in a head-on collision between two bombing planes from tihe aircraft carrier Lexingon 40 miles off San Pedro. The planes had just left the Lexington and were moving toward the squadron in formation. They- were land planes and they sank the instant they hit the water. Both crews left the Lexington immediaely- and searched for more than a nhour but they had recovered, only one body when they 'Were recalled. The water was very deep at the spot. The Lexington returned to port and sent the body ashore. Two of the victims., were lieutenants and the others were machinists. One of tihe machinists had' served for more than 19 years and, would have retired in a few weeks. The authorities' have withheld the details of the official explanation for the accident.