Memories come to mind of the early speculative news reports, updates about the fuel running out, the grim waiting, and then the first chilling images the black smudge on the uphill slope, the impact imprint of the wide body jet on the ice, the burnt-out wreckage in millions of pieces, the heavy undercarriage assembly tossed to the side, and the dirtied Koru still visible on the smashed tail assembly. Many older New Zealanders remember where they were on the evening of 28th November 1979 when the news came through that an Air New Zealand DC-10 was missing on a scenic flight in Antarctica. Dr Waugh says the advisory group is very aware that planning and fundraising needs to get underway as soon as possible, if the national memorial is to be ready for the 40th anniversary in November 2019.ĭr Waugh comments that neither he nor advisory group members have any intention to refer to or discuss cause(s) of the accident, and that no location for the national memorial or funding plan has been decided while initial consultations have been taking place. Consultations have been taking place with families of those who died, the Government (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), Air New Zealand, and a variety of other organisations. Such a place is needed.”Īn advisory group is working with Dr Waugh. Dr Waugh comments, “There are several smaller memorials, mainly in Auckland, but there is no significant public place where all 257 names are displayed, and where people can gather to remember and have special times of contemplation, prayer and reflection. Dr Richard Waugh QSM, of Auckland, reports that the 40th anniversary on 28 November 2019, will be very suitable time for the opening of a new national memorial. National memorial spokesperson, aviation chaplain and historian, Rev. Other more recent disasters have their own national memorials, including for the Pike River accident and Christchurch earthquake victims. Erebus accident victims, especially for the many families involved. New Zealand as a nation continues to be profoundly affected by the tragedy and it is a pastoral and public oversight that nothing has yet been done to establish a suitable national memorial to the Mt. At the time it was the world’s fourth worst aviation accident, and is still the worst aviation accident in the Southern Hemisphere. The Mt Erebus accident with 257 fatalities - 237 passengers and 20 crew - is New Zealand’s worst peacetime disaster.
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