The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-05-17
Commander ECkener Makes
Heroic Efforts TO Land
Crippled AirShip.
TOSSED LIKE TOY CRAFT
Troops and Trained Ground
Crews Wait 10 Aid in
Southern France.
BY RALPH HEINZEN

+ AhIS, May It, ne GRIP
pied dirigible Graf Zeppelin,
driven helpIessly by a storm
towards the Mediterranean sea,
was in desperate peril tonight
with her eighteen passengers
and crew Of forty-one.
The single hope seemed to be that
the gale would blow the dirigible
over Toulon. on the southeast
coast. where troops and q trained
land crew waited at the airport to
land her.
Otherwise, it appeared inevitable
that the dirigible must be blown
out to sea.
The airship was twelve miles
north of MarSeillcs AT ITO p m.
12:10 p. m Indianapolis time).
Only one Of the crafts five motors
was operating.
DR.. Hugo Eckener. the ships COM
mander, appeared to be trying to
head towards Toulon He insisted
by wireless that he feels able to
land at Toulon.
Passed Like Toy Balloon
- The Zeppelin made its second un-
successful attempt to land at the
Istres airdrome, twenty-five miles
northwest of NlarseiIles eight miles
from the cOaStline.
The attempt failed because of the
violence Of the wind. The dirigible
continued towards N1arseilles, Strug-
Cling to avoid being blown out to
sea.
The dirigible was being driven
with the speed Of the wind and
rapidly neared the Mediterranean.
Shortly after p. m. She had
drifted over carpentras, in the de-
partment of Vaucluse.
Observers at Carpentras saw the
Zeppelin tossed like a toy balloon.
She was turned completely around
several times.
The wind had almost gale force.
The crowd at CarpontraS stood be-
Vlldered, expecting to see the vast
ship break in two as it spun, top
like. in the storm.
She finally disappeared to the
south. The ship was last reported
at MaliSsard. south of Carpentras.
still drifting towards Toulon and
the Mediterranean, going almost di-
rectly south.
DR.. Eckener fought desperately to
maneuver the ship, her steering
gear and fins still unimpaired, but
the wind made it difficult.
Landing Attempt Fails
The wind was from the northwest,
and the zeppelin had no choice but
10 let herself be driven towards the
southeast and Toulon.
Through her wireless and by
dropping notes over the countryside.
the Zeppelin kept France informed
Of her condition.
Troops we're modified every
where. DR.. Eckener made a des-
perate attempt 70 bring the ship
down at Ancone. southeast OF Mon
telling. but failed and had to make
altitude to prevent a crash.
The French. mindful of the tate
Of their dirigible Dixmude when il
vas lost over the Mediterranean
several years ago, modified every
source at hand.
DR.. Eckener. gave up his gallant
fight TO steer the dirigible towards
her home port OF Friedrichshafen
at $50 .. m. 10:30 a m. Indian
apolis timel and informed the
French government he would at
tempt to come down at Montelimar,
on the Rhone river as soon as pos
sible.
Unable 20 Turn
However. at 6:15 DR.. Eckener. with
the motors shut of and the dirigible
drifting rapidly, found he could not
turn toward Nontelimar.
He dropped q hand-written note
announcing his intention OF landing
at the Cuerf airdrome at Toulon,
on the Mediterranean coast. The
wind was taking the dirigible in
that direction. and Eckener evl-
dently felt confident he could steer
his ship TO the airport.
France. which in wartime feared
Zeppelins as deadly enemies, was
eager 70 help the German passenger
liner. which was forced by engine
trouble late Thursday to turn back
near Gibraltar while on her second
trans Atlantic voyage.
rnnuIafin Set AT 1924