Tragedy Strikes Polynesian:

Air Services Suspended

From R. F. Rankin, in Apia Just when the company's future seemed assured and major expansion of services was planned, tragedy struck Poly nesian Airlines on May 11 when one of its two DC3 aircraft apparently disintegrated in the air, with three crew members on board.

THE disaster occurred shortly after the aircraft had taken off from Faleolo Airport on a routine training flight about 6 p.m. On board were dynamic general manager Captain George Scott, 41, operations manager Captain Jerry Standi and co-pilot Alastair Gibbens.

Scott and Stancil were Americans and Gibbens was a New Zealander.

Stancil was married to a local girl, formerly Anna Wulf, who is ex pecting a baby. Gibbens was married with no children.

First reports stated that some fishermen from Savaii saw the plane explode in mid-air and fall into the sea. They paddled to the scene of the disaster and picked up pieces of the wreckage.

Fuselage Located

Rescue operations were got under way immediately and five inter island vessels were later joined by HMAS Anzac, an Australian fleet training ship visiting Apia. All the vessels recovered much debris and at dawn the next morning the Anzac located the fuselage in 30 fathoms of water off the coast of Savaii in the Apolima chanel, between Savaii and Upolu.

A crew seat was found floating in the sea, but there was no trace of any of the three aboard, and by the morning after the crash they were presumed dead.

The DC3 that crashed was purchased from the United States last year and was fitted with long range tanks for the long flight to Rarotonga, which was part of its regular schedule.

The day after the crash Polynesian announced that although services to Pago would be maintained, all services overseas were cancelled pending the recruitment of more crew from New Zealand, with the assistance of Air New Zealand.

Polynesian Airlines have been

travel

making regular flights between Apia and Pago, Apia-Aitutaki-Rarotonga (Cooks), Apia-Nadi (Fiji) and Apia- Nukualofa (Tonga).

Scott 'Had No Interest

In Polynesian'

In Apia in May, chairman of directors of Polynesian Airlines, Mr.

Eugene Paul, said there was no truth in an unconfirmed report published in PIM in May stating that Captain Scott, prior to his death, had acquired a controlling interest in the com pany.

Mr. Paul said: “I wish to say that Captain Scott had no financial interest in Polynesian Airlines Ltd. whatsoever, and further, in regard to another sug gestion that he had made arrange ments to buy a DC4 from the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, that there is likewise no truth in this statement.

“It is correct that my company in tends to expand its operations, and to acquire a large aircraft, but no firm arrangements have yet been entered into.”