Evening star., 1937-07-18
EARHART SEARCH
WILL END TONIGHT
Fuel Dwind|ing. Lexington
Plans to Return to
- San Diego.
BACKGROUND

Search for Miss Amelia Edrhart
and her Navigator. Frederick J.
Noonan, began is days ago, tew
minutes after they ,rere last heard
from by radio. Beliered to be in
the Dicinity OF HoUldnd Island,
Which ,Dds goal Of one OF last and
most dangerous hops in the globe
ctrcling expedition near the
Equator, rescuers centered activities
in districts containing small reefs
in hope the flyers might hate
reached one OF them
BY the Associated Press.
HONOLULU. July 17.-The far.
flung search for Amelia Earhart
World-famous aviatrix who disap.
peared in the South Pacific. proba bly
will end tomorrow night, the Navy an.
nounced tonight.
Officers in charge said a dwindlint
fuel supply would force the aircraft
carrier Lexington to head direct fol
San Diego after two more days Of
searching, including today.
Forty-two of the Lexingtons plane.
took of as usual for a morning survey
but returned three hours later without
clue They had covered an area
$50 miles west of the interna tiona
date line and so miles north Of tn.
Equator
Search leaders said the three de.
stroyers accompanying the carrier
would leave for the Pacific Coast by
way of Pearl Harbor.
The futile search of the Phoenix anc
Gilbert Island areas strengthened tn.
belief of experts that Miss Earhart'
world-circling plane plunged into thu
sea in its futile attempt to fly 257(
miles from New Guinea to Howlane
Island July 2.
Not In Island Districts.
Authorities said the Coast Guarc
cutter Itasca and the mine sweeper
Swan definitely had established Mis-!
Earhart's plane was not in the Gilbert
Island district 600 miles west of How.
land.
With three catapult planes, the bat.
tleship Colorado previously searched
the Phoenix Island group. centerint
280 miles southeast Of Rowland, tn,
only other land area within the range
OF possibilities.
The Itasca headed toward Howlane
Island and the Swan got under wa,
for Honolulu.
In line with a Navy Department
statement in Washington, search
officials here said the Lexington.
planes would make their last scouting
flights over the South Seas area to.
morrow, weather permitting.
A move to prevent naval and othel
Government agencies from engag-
ing in costly hunts for publicity
stunt" flyers was suggested in the
National Capital by Representative
Byron Scott, California Democrat
who asked for naval and Coast Guarc
information on the search, including
the cost.
Scientific Benefit Questioned.
Scott also asked the Commerce
Department if permission for Miss
Earhart's "just for fun" world flight
which started from Miami, Fla, June
/, was granted ION the basis of some
benefit accruing in scientific way
Up to noon yesterday the Lexing-
tons planes had flown approximately
5000 miles and covered about 10000
square miles of area.
Sixty planes were used in the frs
day of its operations Tuesday, but tn,
operating number was cut later te
AZ daily.
The Colorados catapult planes
covered more than $4,000 square mile.
in the Phoenix Island region. The
Itasca and the Swan, assisted by thu
British freighter Moorby, searched
102,000 square miles to the north ane
west OF Howland before undertaking
extensive hunting south Of Howlane
and around the Gilbert group.