NZ remembers, 30 years after Erebus disaster

PHOTO

An aerial view of Antarctica, taken from a Royal New Zealand Air Force C130 Hercules aircraft. [Reuters]

Last Updated: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:16:00 +1100

Relatives of victims of the Mount Erebus air disaster are commemorating the 30th anniversary of New Zealand's worst plane crash.

They are taking a flight to Antarctica for a memorial ceremony marking Saturday's anniversary.

In 1979, when the news reports came in, New Zealand went into shock.

An Air New Zealand plane on a scenic flight slammed into the ice-bound continent's Mount Erebus, killing all 257 passengers and crew.

Relatives of six victims boarded a plane in Christchurch on Friday, reaching Antarctica in the afternoon.

If the weather was good, they were to be taken by helicopter to the crash site.

There they were to place a canister containing messages from many of the victims' families.

Pip Collins, making the trip to honour her dead father, said: "For me there will some comfort for having my fellow travellers with me who have each been through their own tragedies with this."

Air New Zealand apologised last month for the way it handled the disaster aftermath.