- The Italia expedition -

Italia crew stranded on pack ice

Summary

Nobile's supply ship, the Citta di Milano, is now in direct radio contact with the Italia crew.

Nobile's supply ship, the Citta di Milano, is now in direct radio contact with the Italia crew.

Reuter reports that the Braganza has encountered pack ice in the extreme north of Spitsbergen (west of North-East Land). The sealer Hobby is even slightly further north.

Umberto Nobile's supply ship, the Citta di Milano, has now been in definite radio contact with the Italia. The crew of the airship seems to be well. The Russian Nobile Relief Committee has announced that they will delay sending out their rescue expedition until they have been informed about the precise whereabouts of Nobile's crew. Apparently, there have still been conflicting messages as to the position of the Italia. The Relief Committee is requesting confirmation from the Citta di Milano that she is indeed in direct wireless contact with the Italia crew. It now seems likely that the airship came down at a point 20 miles to the north of Cape Leigh Smith on the eastern extremity of North-East land, one of the eastern islands of the Spitsbergen archipelago. The crew is stranded on dangerous pack ice.

Related article

Sea fever

When one time English poet laureate John Masefield extolled the lure of the ocean ("I must down to the seas again..."), he clearly didn't have Cunard's luxury Queen Elizabeth II ship or the same company's new super liner Queen Mary in mind.

Related article

Cardinal points

One travel guide claims that Finisterre is the most westerly point on the European mainland. This is in fact wrong, just as other points that lay claim to special status as geographical extremities are often spurious. We map Europe's extremities.