Evening star., 1928-06-12
FLYERS RUSH PLANS
/. TO 0A|D|TAL|A'SM MEN
Part of Crew Facing Crisis
on Drifting ICe-Food
Running Low.
By the Annotated Press


KINGS BAY, Spitzbergen. June Ia
At least some Of the crew Of the dirig-
ible Italia stranded on the ice pack
north Of Spitzbergen faced crisis to-
day as Capt. Riiser-Larsen and Lieut.
Luetzow Holm, Norwegian aviators,
rushed preparations to bring them aid
With three Of the crew definitely
missing and possibly lost, and the rest
Of the explorers divided into two par
ties. drifting on an ice foe westward
toward land, the utmost speed was used
today to reach the stranded groups
Two men arrived at Mossel Bay early
this morning with gasoline for Lieut.
Holm. who was stranded there after a
fiye-day reconnaissance. during most OF
which fog and weather had kept him
idle. In his flights In that region he
found no trace of the missing men.
Holm few Immediately TO the sealer
Hobby and conferred with Capt Riser
Larson on plans for relief flights.
Weather Is Good.
Fine flying weather prevailed and the
two pilots planned To fly eastward as
soon as possible, carrying messages and
Two Italian planes with 30-hour cruis-
Italia's parties.
Two Italian planes with 32-hour cruis-
ing ability are expected late this week
The Italian planes. starting from Kings
Bay. win fly up the west coast and will
then go directly east TO the spot where
the Italia was wrecked.
1t Is feared that at least some of the
Italia's crew may soon face starvation
II the rescuers do not reach them quick
| ly. 1t Is now the third week for the
stranded exploring party and their pro-
visions are reduced despite careful ra-
tioning.
The ItalIas men are further handi-
capped by their two companions whose
legs were broken when the gondola of
the airship was broken off on May 25,
when the Italia tried to land. The in
jured men were with the party Of six
which is being personally led by Gen.
Mobile.
The group Of three men who became
separated from the Italia trying to
reach land, undoubtedly Is facing tre-
mendous difficulties. Crossing the pack
Ice, they must go over a zigzag route at
very slow pace and the distance gain
ed by hard work on one day may be
lost on the next day by movement of
the ice. They also may encounter open
water.
II these men should be close to land
near Rips Bay or Dover Bay, they may
be able 10 get ashore, for the terrain Is
fiat at these points.
Russian Boat on Way.
The radio messages received by the
base ship Citta di Milano from Operator
Giogi, indicate that one Of the three
parties has a canvas boat. but which
one was not made clear.
The Russian icebreaker Maligin Is ex-
pected here some time during the mid
die OF the week. It has two big planes
aboard and 10 dogs, which can be used
for searching the ice pack IL necessary.
The powerful icebreaker will bunker at
Kings Bay and leave as quickly as pos
sihle. Speed is necessary, for when the
pack Ice Is drifting rapidly II can move
as much as six nautical miles a day.
The Citta di Milano communicated
with the Italia last night about rescue
plans. The base ship told Biogl not 10
send any wireless messages unless they
were Of the utmost Importance. The
Italia replied that 1t had no news of
special interest and would save the
accumulation.