Seaplane May Have Landed
p. 19 · Read in the full issue
On Crocodile.
THE Sikorsky seaplane, which Papua Oil Developments, Ltd., have been using in their search for oil in Western Papua, was wrecked when landing on the Kikori River on December 27. Pilot Davis and the three passengers were uninjured.
It is believed that the amphibian struck a submerged object when alighting at 60 m.p.h. The fact that something lashed out of the water at the side, smashing a float and one wing, gave rise to the belief that the hull of the ’plane struck a crocodile which lashed out with its tail, damaging the float.
Fearing a wreck in the swift-running river, Mr. Davis took to the air immedi ately after the mishap and circled around while men from the P.O.D. camp launch ed a boat. Skilfully making a sideways landing close to the shore, he ran the machine on to the mud flats. The Sikor sky was later taken to Port Moresby on board the Co.’s vessel “Angas”.
Mr. W. G. Staley, who accompanied
Captain Kingdon and two companions to
Papua in Steamships Trading Co.’s new
vessel “Chinsurah” (which recently was built in Sydney), return to Australia from Port Moresby by the “Van Rees” on December 20.