Landed Cleverly

In The Sea

New Guinea Mail Plane Beset by Bad Weather—Sinks—Is Salvaged

From Our Own Correspondent RABAUL, March 28.

THE W.R.C. airliner “Carinthia”, bound from Sydney to Rabaul, after leaving Salamaua on Saturday morning, March 16, ran into some very thick weather upon approaching Rabaul.

It was, as a matter of fact, the worst north-west storm of this season.

After flying over the town and the Duke of York Islands for about half an hour, and not being able to locate the local aerodrome, Chief Pilot K. G. Jackson

decided to make for Kavieng and land there. When about 20 miles from Kavieng, the petrol was exhausted, and the machine was skilfully “pancaked” beside a reef, in the sea, some 400 yards from the beach, at Sicacul Plantation, which is on the west coast of New Ire land.

Although the machine was nearly submerged when she first hit the water, the five passengers and three of the crew suffered no damage, apart from a wetting. They launched a rubber boat, and a native canoe was quickly on the scene, and all were taken ashore, to gether with their baggage. One passen ger was unlucky in losing some luggage before it could be recovered from the sinking plane. The machine remained half-submerged for some hours, and then went to the bottom, in about 110 feet of water.

The stranded party was very pleased to see Mr. C. E. P. Davis, the manager of Sicacui, and he made them all com fortable for the night. Mr. Davis had a Teleradio set on the plantation, and he lost no time in getting in touch with Rabaul, and advising that everyone was safe.

The passengers were: Matron Thor burn, of the Namanula Hospital staff, returning from leave in Australia; Mrs.

K. Munro, of Kokopo, returning from Australia; Mr. C. R. Field, Director of Public Works, returning from an official visit to Salamaua; Mr. C. Pyne, return ing from leave in Australia; and Mr. W, Ahmat, an Asiatic travelling from Sala maua. The chief pilot was K. G. Jack son, who has been with the company from its inception; the assistant pilot was C. R. Burnard, it being his first trip on the run; and the mechanic was the well-known Peter Adrian.

Smart Salvage Work

When the news reached Rabaul, two vessels left for the scene, and brought back the passengers and crew, and the mail, next day.

Upon hearing of the mishap, Mr. F. V.

Saunders, who owns a couple of schoon ers, set out for the place where the machine was lying on the sea-bed, with a view to salvaging the plane. After working for some time, he was success ful in getting some ropes around the body and managed to drag the plane into shallow water, where he beached her, in Beno Harbour. Then an engineer was located, and he set to work and dismantled everything removable, and is caring for the salvaged machine until a representative of the underwriters arrives.

Messrs. Carpenter now are carrying on the service with one plane. They had three when the service was started in May, 1938; but one was taken over by the Federal Government, at the out break of war.

The salvaged plane was not broken in any way, and it may be made service able again. Some experts think that the immersion in salt water will do irreparable harm, however.

Mr. Francis Charles Beddoes, who was one of the most highly-respected of the dwindling band of Fijian pioneers, died on March 16 at his home in Lautoka, aged 84. He went to Fiji with his father from New Zealand, in 1873, and they settled on Taveuni. Subsequently, Mr.

Beddoes entered the service of the C.S.R.

Co., Ltd., where he remained for over 30 years. He is survived by his wife and a large number of sons, daughters, grand children and great-grandchildren.