Imperial Valley press., 1929-04-12
CREW OF
A|RPLANE
is SAFE
Definite Word Tells Of
Finding Southern Cross
In Mud Flats.
SYDNEY OVERJOYED|
Men Missing Nearly Two
Weeks Receive Supplies
From Rescuers.

SYDNEY, n. s. w, April IL. U.P)
The crew of the airpiane Southern
Cross was reported sighted today on
mud flats south of Port George,
Australia, almost two weeks after
they were forced to land during AN
attempted nonstop flight from Sgd
ney to Wyndham, in western Aus
traia
Word of sighting the four airmen
was flashed to civilization by Cap.
tain Holden, an Australian aviator,
who had been flying over the vast,
unexplored regions of northwest
Australia on a search for the men.
Capt. Holden said the men wero
safe and apparently well.
Capt. Charles E. Kingsford Smith,
Capt. Charles 7. p Ulm, T. Fl. Nc |
Williams, radio operator, and III. A.
, Litchfield, navigator, were aboard
/ the Southern Cross when it took off
here March 30 for Wyndham on the
first leg of projected flight to
England.
The plane was forced down late
the next day, Easter Sunday, after
! flying for 10 hours in rain.
Capt Holden said he dropped food
to the flyers and circled around
them for several minutes.
"They must be eating Capt.
Holden messages. Have unseen
/ them for a few minutes. Dropped
more food
The Australian aviator had search |
ed along the unexplored and rugge
mountainous country north of Prime
Regent river, $50 miles west o:
/ Wyndham, before he discovered tbs
newed his search northeast of Ad |
miralty gulf and it was while or
that flight that he saw the four
men.
Northwest Australia, where the
flyers landed, is one of the widest
sections of the continent, inhabited |
only by wild animals, poisonous rep
tiles and cannibals.
Great fear for the aviators safe
ty was felt after they were forced
down, especially when it was learned
they were not armed and had only
meagre food supplies.
Keith Anderson, an aviator engag-
ed in the search, and his mechanic
T Hitchcock, have been missing since
Wednesday and some alarm was felt
for their safety.
SYDNEY, n. S. W., April Is.
U.P)-All Australia was wild with
JOY today over the news of the
finding of the Southern Cross,
landed safely on the mudflats near
the Glenelg river only about col
miles from Port George, by the air
plane Canberra.
All four of the flyers were re-
ported safe by the Canberra, and
Il steamer prepared to leave Broomc /
| tonight to rescue the aviators who
We're forced down during a storm
March 81
Mrs. Charles p. T. Ulm, wife of
the co-pilot, who with Captain
Charles Kingsford Smith flew the
monoplane from the United States
to Australia, was wild with delight.
''Oh, dreamed it all at $3.50 this
morning, = she said, jumping upI
and down in glee 81 woke my sis
/ ter and told her that l dreamed
saw Charlie and he told me natives
had helped them with food and De
Offered me a handful of grcep
berries. He had a map of Australia
in his hand and started to point 10
a place north of Derby .
She said that never once, sin
that Easter Sunday, had She lu.t
hope t}tt the flyers would be foun5
safe She hung out the Union Jae
when she heard the news.
The failure of Keith Andersoa
another flyer who was searching
the Southern Cross, to report,
causing some anxiety and two 60
ernment planes sent out from NJ
bourne for Alice Springs 70 sc
news of him.