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747

Saturday marked 22 years to the day since the South African Airways Boeing 747, Helderberg, crashed off the coast of Mauritius after an uncontrollable fire broke out on the aircraft, killing all 159 people on board. Did SAA remember it? I didn’t see anything. Did you?

To this day, many questions about the causes of the violent fire on board the aircraft have never been answered, and the families of the survivors may never know the truth.

One thing is certain, however: the accident was clearly not on SAA’s radar this week, unlike over at Air New Zealand headquarters in Auckland where chief executive Rob Fyfe apologised to the families of the 257 people who were killed on November 28 1979 when one of the airline’s DC-10s crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica during a scenic flight.

“The airline made mistakes and undoubtedly let down people affected by the tragedy,” said Fyfe.

Perhaps SAA will remember the families of the Helderberg when the 30th anniversary draws near. Perhaps we will know the full truth of what happened as well.

PHOTO: SAA Boeing 747 “Helderberg” in flight. SOURCE: Avusa archives

Related posts:

  1. The airliner and the volcano: Flight 901 down in Antarctica
  2. Air France plane crash raises safety fears
  3. Flight 295: More on the Helderberg crash
  4. Air France 447 and the search for the “black boxes”
  5. Preliminary report says Ethiopian Airlines crash caused by “human error”

 

Comments

 

SK

November 30, 2009 at 6:12 pm

Being South African, I can say that SAA really doesn’t care about their past. This year was their 75th anniversary and the only celebrations that took place was a 75 logo next to their current one and some online specials. It is just typical of SAA not to remember or commemorate anything!

What I heard about that flight is that it contained some dangerous weapons in favour of apartheid and someone set the aircraft alight. Whether it is the truth, I don’t know

 

Chris van Schalkwyk

December 1, 2009 at 12:21 pm

My father was a crew member on that flight and after it happened the whole thing was swept under the rug so quickly that SAA doesnt want to drag it up again because they fear the truth may come out. In response to the previous post: the rumour I heard was that there was unstable rocket fuel transported and what the experts say thats why everything was burned beyond recognition, also only a few bodies were found. I am sure there is someone who knows what happens but they are too scared to talk about the attrocities commited by SAA and the apartheid government. The families were also never compensated for they’re loss!!
I write this in memory of my father:
NM van Schalkwyk

 

Paul Ash

December 1, 2009 at 12:34 pm

Chris,
I was sad to read your comment. I truly hope that one day you and the other families will know the truth about what happened on Flight 295.

 

Sam van der Walt

December 1, 2009 at 1:41 pm

Both my parents were on that plane, SAA’s treatment of the families was disgusting! We were told that we should consider ourselves lucky that SAA were going to pay us out (which was a pittance) as SAA was not obliged to do so!

They also promised to erect a monument in South Africa for the Helderberg victims, 22 years on, we are still waiting!

 

Sam van der Walt

December 1, 2009 at 1:54 pm

This was an internal SAA email, which was forwarded to me. No mention of the passengers?? :(
http://i129.photobucket.com/al.....-Email.jpg

 

Maureen Morton

April 2, 2010 at 11:27 am

Sorry, it was Sam van der Walt’s comment and not Chris van Schalkwyk – I am even crying and making mistakes as I wrote the comment.

 

Paul Ash

April 2, 2010 at 12:57 pm

Maureen,
All we can hope for is that someone involved will one day come forward and tell the truth about what happened on that awful night.

 

Michelle Hogg

September 16, 2010 at 11:13 am

To all the families who lost loved ones on this tragic flight. My prays & thoughts are with you. I cannot imagine the pain & loss you feel. I hope that one day the truth will prevail & the S.A government will come forward with an explanation / apology.

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  • About

    Stories of highways and airways, rails and boats, life on the open road and stretched-out days on the occasional beach. By day, I am deputy-editor of Sunday Times Travel & Food.