Location:
Windsor, England
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I was just talking to my cousin Ken Mitchelmore about our family history. I'm the family historian but he remembers a lot about his side. He mentioned that his Aunt Rose Mitchelmore, who married Alec Cater, had moved to New Zealand. After searching I found that they had a son, Graham Ronald. First search, he had died in 1979, aged 27, in Antarctica. Wow, that must be worth following! Another search and found this site. I never knew! I wonder if Kenny did (he was his first cousin)? I'll ring him tomorrow and find out. This is history unfolding before our eyes. (I'm only connected by the marriage of my Aunt to the Mitchelmores)..
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It sounds like a cliche to say this disaster touched everyone in New Zealand, but for those of alive at the time it did. Our wonderful family GP Dr Broad was on board with his daughter celebrating her 21st birthday. I remember Dr Broad with much affection who more than once visited our home when I was to ill. A real old school GP and a kind and caring man. May he and his daughter rest in peace.
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My Primary school teacher was Elaine Trinder. I remember us being told of the accident at our school assembly. Now 40 years later I know more of the story and the cover up after. This site is full of information and to ensure this terrible accident is not forgotten. Thank you
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It was a month to the day that my mum died and the news of Erebus came, where her brother and his wife died. My uncle Francis whom my brother and I share his name as our middle name. We were still grieving for my mum and this happened. This rocked NZ everyone knew someone. I went to a tiny Catholic school where a brother and sister lost their dad as well. I never forget the date and I hope as a country we never forget the loss.
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Location:
Wellington, New Zealand
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I think about Erebus often, and as a self professed avgeek I think about what could have been done to avoid it, but at the same time that'll never undo what has been done. I'm happy that we are finally putting this tragic saga to rest now, late as it may be. I offer my most sincerest condolences to all the loved ones and friends involved.
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Location:
Gisborne, New Zealand
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I remember the evening unfolding so clearly as news reached our country, New Zealand of the disaster. Today, 08-05-2020, I have just finished reading Towards The Mountain by Sarah Myles (granddaughter of one of the passengers. Thank you and all the unsung heroes whom you interviewed). I too now have a fuller understanding of what really unfolded!
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My name is Justin Richardson aka Luce. Christine Nicholson was one of many on this flight. She was my primary school teacher but she was so much more. I don't know who reads these posts but I do hope that I get the opportunity to talk or even meet Christine's family to explain to them how much Christine Nicholson meant to me .
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Location:
Tomago, NSW - Australia
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Government cover-up and overreach. Never forget.
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I was only 11 at the time, but I vividly remember the day this happened. It still upsets me. In the blink of an eye, so many lives altered forever. Reading about the gentleman, who took his own life, 5 months after his Cabin Crew wife was lost. He died of a broken heart. It brought tears to my eyes.
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I was a graduate teaching assistant to Dr. John Houghton in the Geography Department of the University of Nevada, Reno. He was a wonderful guy and it was an honor to work with him and teach his physical geography labs and sometimes stand in for him at the lectures. He had a great sense of adventure and he traveled all over the world, making friends with the academics he met in distant places. The University and the Department was shocked and deeply saddened by his untimely loss, but I have always felt that ending on Mt. Erebus on a "Flight to the End of the World" is exactly how he would want to go, only he was just too young.
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Thank you for the apology Madam Prime Minister. I lost my sister in this crash and it forever changed my life and my family dynamics. Also being the wife of a pilot it grieved me to think that pilot error had ever been a cause. I hope the flight crew's families feel vindicated. After 40 years I still miss my sister.
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Location:
Brisbane Australia
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I was at Victoria University from the mid 70's until 1979 and I got to know Kay Dean quite well as we used to sit together in Law School. She was a wonderful young lady, charming and effervescent and we had many discussions after classes about the various topics discussed on that day.Kay was bright, intelligent and full of wit. I remember vividly, coming across Kay standing in line outside the travel agency on campus and asking her where she was going. She informed me she was purchasing seats on Air New Zealand's last flight of the year over Antarctica and there was genuine joy and anticipation on her face about the forth coming trip.I wished her well and she said she would tell me all about it when next years classes commenced, sadly it was not to be.
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I just came across this site and the story of the flights and the accident today. Very interesting. It seems to me that there are fewer plane crashes - and that is a good thing.
Thank you for this site, very informative.
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FInally, an official apology. So pleased that NZ prime minster Jacinda Ardern and Air NZ Chair Dame Theresa Walsh both apologised on the 40th anniversary of the disaster.
The Erebus disaster has been of huge interest to me and my family, not because we lost family members or friends but because my brother Harry was involved in the recovery of the bodies. We have every book that has ever been written about the disaster and the aftermath in our collection, and have followed all the news for 40 years. A terribly tragedy that was waiting to happen. Here's to the late Peter Mahon, the lawyers involved in the inquiry, the law lords on the Privy Council and all the families who lost loved ones.
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This tragedy was certainly memorable for most NZr's. I did not know for some time that my cousin, Kathleen Haworth,(Smith), & her husband Peter Haworth.had perished on this flight. Her parents Duncan & Mabel Smith, (my mum's sister), had farmed in Rangiwahia, since the 1930's, where family still farm today. This tragedy stayed with them for the rest of their lives, particularly for Duncan, who was especially fond of Kate.
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Just watched NZ Police team story working at Erebus. Such a long time for you all to be recognized. Too long Stuart Leighton and team, thank you.
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Location:
Taupo, New Zealand
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I am studying this terrible tragedy in history and finding this website very helpful. I feel for those families who were effected by this as we remember those who passed 40 years on.
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A terrible tragedy
amlcft@dia.govt.nz
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Location:
Dunedin, New Zealand
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The Erebus disaster and everything about it has always affected me very much. I recall there had been some people aboard who were there only because they had won a scenic flight to the Antarctic as a competition prize and, as a beginner writer, I therefore used this fact as my inspiration to enter a fiction piece called The Albatross and the Phoenix into the New Zealand Writers College 2018 short story competition. Achieving last place in the Writers We'd Like To See More Of was very encouraging and given that 2019 is the 40th anniversary of the tragedy, I would like to find a place online where others could read and may appreciate my effort to honour Erebus and it's victims in the only way I know how. Would this be a suitable place and if so then do I have permission? I would hate to cause offence...
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Remember that day forever. Cabin crew at the time. Captain Collins was so respected - I flew with Gordon Brooks just two days earlier on a Mel duty. All good people - rest in eternal light xxx
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