DROP TO SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1922, Page 5

DROP TO SEA.

THRILLS IN THE AIR. •PLANE BREAKS DOWN. AIRMEN REACH LAND. REMARKABLE ADVENTURE. By Teiegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, August 28. A 4000-word message from Chittagong gives details of the adventures of Captains Malins and MacMillan, who were wrecked in their seaplane when continuing the world flight. After leaving Calcutta they met mon•oonal storms and heavy rain, and were compelled to change the route from the direct line to Akyab to tow? rds Chittagong. Suddenly the engine stopped and , the machine landed on heavy sea waves, which broke right over them and smashed one of the ribs of the elevator. They managed to start the engine on the gravity system and started to taxi back in the direction of Lukhidiagar. but ran aground on the mud a mile from the island. They had left Calcutta without breakfast. and the only supplies on board were two gallon? of water, a tin of coffee. some cigarettes, cigars and three boxes of matches. Late in the day, natives from the island brought a small jar of milk. Conversation was impossible, neither <ide understanding the language of the other. Storms of heavy rain throughout the night soaked everything, and every effort to get the machine off was futile. Next day the natives brought more milk. The day following they were accompanied by an English-speaking native, by whom a message was sent to Calcutta. There was no improvement in the weather, and everything was waterlogged, but they tinkered up the machine THE MACHINE CRIPPLED. The storm blew out on the fourth morning, and at midday they got off the mud on the rising tide and re-started the flight to Chittagong, but after 15 minute the engine again failed, and they dropped easily to sea out of sight of land. They decided to taxi to Chittagong, 16 miles away. The heavy tide delayed progress, ana they were still out of sight of land when their petrol gave out.

The crippled machine had a perilous list to starboard, and, fearing it would turn turtle. MacMillan scrambled several times from the port ring, where the aviators had taken refuge, into the cockpit, and brought up the only remaining gallon of water, the kit and the cinema with records, to help the balance and save the machine if possible. They rigir*d a sail made from a shirt and a piece of canvas. The aviators, sitting twelve feet above the water, twice saw steamers in the distance. They finished their drinking water the same night, and, as it was becoming evident the machine could not stay upright long, they jettisoned everything heavy, but it was gradually submerged and finally turned turtle. The men scrambled on to the submerged float. Shortly afterwards another storm rose, and the sea broke over them. The floats made ominous sounds as if the machine was going to pieces. The waves were running ten feet high. They drifted uncontrollably throughout the night. TOSSED BY WIND AND WAVE. Next morning land was sighted, but never near enough to signal or swim ashore, knowing the sea was infested with sharks and crocodiles near the shore. Then an undercurrent caught them and they drifted out of sight of land again. They hoisted a distress signal. and continued drifting at the mercy of the wind and tide. They were scorched by the sun. blistered by the heat and exhausted from lack of food and water. They encountered the tide swirl when it swung round, and heavy aea« were pouring over them. They had to hang on tooth and nail. Detached Ctions of timber from the brokenked fuselage got clear and tossed about throughout the night. Their hopes were raised, only to be •gain lost, bv the lights of a distant vessel and lighthouse. They made distress signals without avail. One vessel came within three-nuarrers of a mile, and then turned, and the lights faded out. Drenched, shivering, and huddled close for warmth, when the mornins broke they sighted the inland of Swandip. four miles distant. The sea wa? calmer and a little shower fell, somewhat relieving their thirst. They dived below and found the wreckage still holding together. Th? empty petrol tanks, which were their real salvation, were still buoyant. THE DRIFTERS RESCUED. They drifted slowly towards Swandip, and suddenly saw the sails of a windjammer. The aviators hoisted a distress signal. The vessel came within half a mile, but turned and headed away again, while they, hardly able to stand owing to the agony of their swollen limbs and their exhaustion from thirst, frantically waved and fired a ptetol. The story adds: “Two men on the poop of the ship ran forward as she came abreast. They saw us undoubtedly, and were possibly terrified by thoughts of ghosts and visions. In mercy never let them know what we felt when they sailed away.” Three miles from Swandip the machine stranded on a mud shoal. After three hours’ waiting with sprav breaking over them and the heat torturing their swollen and scorched bodies, a river launch was sighted. Malins waved the distress flag and MacMillan his trousers, and both shouted and attracted attention. It proved to be the launch Dorothea, in which Commander Cumming was going to Lukhidia, on the strength of the report that they were stranded there. A dinghy was sent and took them aboard the Dorothea. Commander Cumming welcomed them with the words: “Thank God. I thought you were fishing, and the serang said you were only native fishermen.” The Dorothea tried to tow the machjxia off, but the rope parted.

ATTEMPT ABANDONED. THE AIRMEN RECOVERING. Delhi, August 26. The rescued aviators are in tne Chittagong Hospital and are progressing favorably. They are expected to remain in hospital a week. The misfortune entails the abandonment of the flight. Blake and the other two aviators hope to return to England in a fortnight. MAJOR BLAKE’S HOPEF ANOTHER ATTEMPT NEXT YEAR. Received Aug. 28, 11.10 p m Delhi, August 28. Major Blake, who was unable to continue *h? flight with his companions, owing to s- dden illness, states he hopes to make atcther attempt at the flight next year.