We had friends, a married couple, celebrating his birthday on board it... as did many, many people in New Zealand. We waited through the night for news, fearing them lying in the ice, freezing and injured. My father picked up their car from the airport...
The Search for TE901
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A US Helicopter at the crash site in 1979. |
Many people will remember waiting for news on the night of 28 November 1979. Several hours had passed since the last radio communication with Air New Zealand Antarctic sightseeing flight TE901. From the final communication with the aircraft , at approximately 12.30pm NZDT, the last known position of the missing aircraft was established as 38 nautical miles north of McMurdo Station.
We read the book; we followed the commission of inquiry and the famous saying of the late Justice Mahon, of "the orchestrated litany of lies" that tried to cover the events that led to this black day day.
Now they have launched a comprehensive web site about it. They interviewed the wives of the pilots on television tonight. They said that finally everything known was together in one site. They hoped that schools would use it to teach the children of the truth, the issues and to remember and honour those who died.
I do too.
In memory of Robbie and Marilyn Bond.
