An explorer claims to have solved the 90-year-old mystery of legendary aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s disappearance. Damien Lay, who has spent two decades and approximately $5 million researching, believes he has found the wreckage of the Lady Southern Cross off the coast of Myanmar. Lay suggests the aircraft was brought down by a bat strike, offering a new perspective on the tragic event that captivated the world.
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, affectionately known as ‘Smithy,’ was a global aviation icon, immortalized on Australia’s original $20 note. In 1935, Smith and his co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge vanished over the Andaman Sea while attempting to break the England to Australia air speed record. Now, Lay’s research points to a bat strike as the cause of the crash, potentially closing a chapter on one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.
The Search for Lady Southern Cross
Lay’s journey to locate the Lady Southern Cross began in 2005, culminating in a sonar-imaging discovery in 2009. After 18 expeditions, Lay is “100 percent certain” he has found the plane’s final resting place. His team recovered 45 items from the wreck, including copper fuel lines and timber matching the aircraft’s specifications.
The theory has garnered support from Kingsford Smith’s son, Charles Jr., who was three when his father disappeared. “I don’t think that anybody can be certain about the conclusion that he’s found it in the right place,” Charles Jr. told the Daily Mail. “But I think that his accumulation of evidence is greater than anybody else’s.”
A New Theory Emerges
Lay’s hypothesis suggests that the Lady Southern Cross was damaged by a bat strike while flying over an uncharted island. Forced to land on a sand bar, Smith and Pethybridge repaired the plane, only to crash into the sea after hitting a headland. This theory challenges previous assumptions and offers a plausible explanation for the crash.
Charles Jr., who has held a private pilot’s license for nearly 50 years, expressed hope that this new evidence could finally confirm the location of his father’s plane. “The last chapter in my father’s life really isn’t closed because of this uncertainty,” he said. “It would be a way to close the whole chapter of his interesting life.”
Legacy of an Aviation Pioneer
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s achievements in aviation are legendary. He made the first trans-Pacific flight in 1928 and was knighted in 1932 for his contributions to aviation. His disappearance in 1935 left a void in the world of aviation, and the mystery surrounding his final flight has persisted for decades.
Lay’s research builds on the work of previous investigators, including aviation historian Ted Wixted and engineer Jack Hodder. Wixted spent 40 years investigating the Lady Southern Cross’s location, while Hodder reported evidence of the crash on Aye Island in 1938.
Implications and Future Steps
Lay’s findings have significant implications for aviation history. If confirmed, the discovery could finally provide closure for the families of Smith and Pethybridge. However, challenges remain, as the wreck’s location in “black water” with strong currents complicates recovery efforts.
Lay’s narrative of the search, titled Of Air and Men, will be published to coincide with the crash’s 90th anniversary. The book aims to bring Smith’s story to a wider audience, emphasizing themes of love, loss, and the pioneering spirit of 1930s aviation.
“It’s an extraordinary discovery,” Lay said. “Charles Kingsford Smith was, and is still, one of our greatest historical figures.”
The search for the Lady Southern Cross continues, with Lay determined to bring the story to a close. “I’ve absolutely no doubt that we have achieved our mission and will continue every effort so that one day it may be possible to bring the men of the Lady Southern Cross home,” he stated.
