AIRMAN DROWNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 January 1941, Page 4

AIRMAN DROWNED

AND ANOTHER INJURED

PLANE STRIKES POWER LINE.

AND CRASHES INTO MANAWATU RIVER. ißy TfUgrsph—Press A.ssociaiton.) LEVIN, January 9. A Vincent aircraft. No. of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, crashed into the Manawatu River near Wirikino bridge, about two miles south of Foxton, this iifternoon, One of the two occupants was drowned and ihe other is in hospital. The occupants of the plane were: — Leading Aircraftman Kenneth James Haase. Next-of-kin. Mrs. H. Haase, 103 Kowai Road. Nelson. Leading Aircraftman Cecil William Holmes. Next-of-kin: Lieutenant A. Holmes, Dixon Avenue, Hawera. Leading Aircraftman Haase’s body, it is believed, is in the aircraft, which had npt been recovered from the river tonight. Leading Aircraftman Holmes was conveyed to the Palmerston North Hospital. The extent of his injuries is not yet known. The aircraft, which was from' the R.N.Z.A.F. station. Blenheim. / was piloted by Leading Aircraftman Haase. MACHINE FLIES VERY LOW. According to an enserver, Mr. Walter Neville, who was driving a Public Works tractor on the south side of the Manawatu River, the plane was flying so low that ho ducked his head when it came toward him. The plane did not appear in difficulties and turned to follow the course of the river toward the Wirikino Bridge, said Mr. Neville. Shortly after passing him it struck the 11,DOT voltage high tension wires spanning the river, and immediately nose-dived into about 30 feet of water.

Some carpenters working on a new house on the river-bank immediately rushed to the scene. Several of them swam out to the aircraft, which was then afloat, but on its back.

Leading Aircraftman Holmes came to the surface and was brought ashore. He received medical attention from Dr. S. E. Crawford, Foxton. and was conveyed to hospital by a passing motorist.

Fortunately, the Horowhenua Power Board’s employees were working on the high tension line in another part of the district and the line was dead, l Men from the Ohakea Air Force j station arrived on the scene soon afterward and carried out salvage operations, The plane was secured about 8 o’clock, but great difficulty was being experienced in bringing it ashore because of the willows and the steep nature of the bank. The machine was cut in two as a result of the crash, and the tail was brought on land, but it was not possible last night to drag out the front portion, in which it is believed the other occupant is imprisoned. RESCUE EFFORTS ONE MAN TRAPPED IN PLANE. (Dy Telegraph—Press Asxociaiton.i PALMERSTON NL. January 9. The machine had landed at Ohakea to refuel and was on its way back to Blenheim when the mishap occurred. Haymakers nearby saw it living very low, but it did not appear to be in difficulties, Mr, Maurice Parsons, Palmerston North, stripfx-d off ami dived into the river, and as ho readied the plane, which was partly submerged. Leading Aircraftman Holmes floated to the surface. Mr. Parsons assisted him ashore. Mr. Parsons returned to the plane, but was unable to locate Leading Aircraftman Haase, who was , evidently trapped in the nose of the cockpit, then several feet beneath the surface, RfToris were made with fencing wire to secure the machine, but when till the wire broke, and before Mr. could swim back with the rope the machine had sunk in the dt-epoKt part of the river. BODY RECOVERED PLANE SALVAGED FROM RIVER. I By THcgraph I’rrt.f A«<)chjton,» FOXTON. This Day. Th-- bods of Leading Aircraftsman Haase was recovered from the wreckage of the plane in the Manawatu River, by rm Air Force salvage gang.. Leading Aircraftsman Haase was trapped in the ttinnel between the two cockpits, by a strap dip cateWng on a The plane wreckage was recovered