Passenger list released
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
Eleven of the 28 people on the ill-fated flight were parents and family members of students at the Divine Word University who had gone to participate in a thanksgiving ceremony last Friday.
The university held a candle-lit vigil in remembrance over the weekend.
Report blames ‘bad fuel’
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
Three of the survivors, including the Australian pilot Capt Bill Spencer, 64, and his New Zealander co-pilot Campbell Wagstaff were at the weekend flown from Modilon to Port Moresby.
A Malaysian, Chin Ku Fa, in his 50s, who escaped through a crack in the burning fuselage remained at Modilon with burns to his back and arms.
The hospital’s director of medical services, Billy Selve, said the man was suffering mental trauma.
“He’s in a stable condition, but there is mental strain,” he said.
The fourth survivor is Kapi Eria, a cabin crew member. There were no other Australians onboard.
Most of those who died were parents of students graduating from the Divine Word University in Madang, flying up to attend the university’s thanksgiving day due to be held last Friday.
According to The Australian newspaper, a Lae-based Australian businessman, who had left the aircraft just hours before the crash, said bad fuel was the likely cause.
Passenger List Released
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
As six Australian forensic experts were dispatched to assist with identification of almost all the bodies which have been burnt beyond recognition, APNG also announced that experts from aircraft frame manufacturers DeHavilland in Canada were also on their way and should be at the site today.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is also expected to visit the site and to participate in a memorial service at Divine Word University today.
Two black boxes, the flight recorders, were retrieved and could give vital details to investigators on what exactly happened in the final moments on board DHC-8 P2-MCJ.
An eyewitness, Amos Titus, from Marakum village told The National that there was a loud noise in the air and there was smoke pouring from the tail of the aircraft as it flew low over the sea.
“The smoke was blowing from the tail of the aircraft,” Titus said in Tok Pisin.
“And fuel was pouring from the plane because it was dripping flames behind it as it approached. Where ever the fuel dripped on leaves of trees, the leaves burst into flames.
“The plane hit the branch of a tree and it flew off and then the tail fbroke apart and the plane hit the ground. It skidded for about 150m before it hit a tree and stopped.
“I was so shocked. I had never seen anything like it.
“I heard screams inside but the fire was too hot to do anything. Only one Chinese man jumped out and we helped him to safety.”
APNG chairman Simon Wild pledged the airline’s total commitment to establish the cause of last Thursday’s tragic crash and support the families of the 28 victims.
He said APNG was “100% committed to finding out” the truth about the cause of the crash.
“We want and need to know too, and when we do, we will share our knowledge with you.
“That is why we have opened our books and made our people available to the investigating authorities, why there is a team from Canada representing the airframe manufactures and the engine makers on site today, and why we will share the community’s pain until we know.
“My personal commitment to you is that, until we are confident there are no safety issues with our Dash-8 fleet, they will stay on the ground.”
Titus saves the four
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
That was the scene which unfolded before the eyes of several eyewitnesses as flight P2-MCJ, Airlines PNG Dash 8, became the country’s worst aviation disaster.
It was a heap of twisted metal as it crashed into the rocky hillside close to the Guabi River.
A 70-minute dinghy ride from town and an hour’s walk over dry rocky riverbeds, and then across the Guabi River to the site.The young man who rescued the four survivors of the crash is Amos Titus from Marakum village.
He was the first on the scene. “Mi stap long wara na mi bin harim wanpela bikpela pairap long lo sky. Na mi lukim balus em igo olsem long solwara bihain long em i bihainim nambis blong Ileg na kam antap.
“Mi lukluk istap na balus em tanim kam bek. Balus i luk olsem em laik igo antap long dispela mountain. Simok i kamap long tail blong balus pinis na petrol em leak blong wanem taim win i blow na wanem hap petrol i go long em fire tu i bihainim. Antap long ol lip diwai na wanem hap em win i muvim petrol paia i kirap.
“Balus em i paitim wing blong em long diwai na wing em yet go long hap na tail em bruk na igo long narapela hap taim balus i pudaon long graun. Balus em ron olsem wanpela 150m bipo long em bampim wanpela diwai na em stop”.
“Mi…em..mi shock stret. Mi ino save lukim kain olsem na mi sanap na paol long wanem samting long mekim long helpim ol lain ol struggle long kam out.
“Ol singaut na karai, mi harim tasol balus em paia pinis insait long liklik taim tasol taim em kam stop. “Paia em antap na hot tumas. Wanpela Chinese man tasol em traim best blong em na rausim olgeta kolos bilong em paia long em, na wantaim pants tasol em kalap kam ausait.
“Taim mi kam kamap, co pilot, husait ino kisim wanpela bagarap, wok long painim pilot stap, so mipela pullim Chinese ya kam longwe long balus……ol askim mi long beten wantaim ol na mi beten long ol pinis na mipela salim tok long ol man lo kam.”
Another Manus woman married to Marakum, Bernadette Bumbum, confirmed that a Malaysian was taken to the Jamad aid post for treatment before the MCC Ramu NiCo’s boat mv Carrie took them to Madang late Thursday night.
“The three – pilot, co-pilot and cabin crew – stayed a few hours at Ricky Bai’s house for a cuppa and rest. I even gave some of the husband’s clean clothes for them to wear,” she said.
Although there are many unexplained aspects about the crash, many people confirmed they saw the emergency exit doors open as the plane flew over the sea.
Ramu NiCo ferries survivors, bodies to Madang
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
The four sole survivors were transported to the Modilon Hospital at around 3am last Friday.
Following a call from Madang Governor James Gau and Madang police, Ramu NiCo’s coastal ferry mv Carrie was the first to be deployed at around 10pm to Marakum village, outside Madang, to transport the survivors and carry out other rescue operations.
The four survivors were two expatriate pilots from Australia and New Zealand, a cabin crew and a Malaysian passenger who suffered a slight burn and internal injury.
“Though we had a VIP trip to Basamuk refinery the following day, Friday, Oct 14, we did not hesitate to help in the transport and rescue mission,” Zhao Enzong, Ramu NiCo administration manager, said.
“This is very important and we must help.”
The mv Carrie left Madang at 10pm and arrived at the beach near Transgogol in Raicoast district in pitch darkness where the survivors were loaded and transported back to Modilon General Hospital at around 3am. On the ferry also were police officers and rescue teams.
Last Friday, Ramu NiCo also assisted in transporting a medical and police team to collect and transport the remains of the 28 victims.
More than 40 members of the team comprising police officers, medical rescue team, journalists, government officials and locals were deployed by mv Carrie on its way to Basamuk refinery and later picked them to be transported to Madang.
Officials engaged in the repatriation exercise said the bodies of the victims were later transported to the hospital by helicopter.
One official, who sought anonymity, said all the bodies were burned beyond recognition. A baby girl was found in her mother’s arm close to her chest.
Provincial police commander Anthony Wagambie Jr thanked Ramu NiCo for its assistance.
Authorities retrieve flight data recorders
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
AUTHORITIES have retrieved the flight data recorders from the wreckage of a plane that crashed near Madang, killing 28 people, the West Australian has reported.
Clear weather allowed investigations to begin probing into what caused the Airlines PNG Dash-8 to crash 20km south
of Madang last Thursday.
Officials sifted through the charred wreckage and retrieved two flight data recorders.
They collected the remains of the 28 people who died in the crash. Some of the bodies were flown to Madang for identification.
The flight’s Australian pilot Bill Spencer was one of the four survivors.
The 64-year-old was medically evacuated to Port Moresby with a badly injured leg yesterday afternoon.
Among the survivors was Spencer’s New Zealand co-pilot, Campbell Wagstaff.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said last Friday that Australia was willing to provide help to PNG authorities and four investigators from Australia’s Air Transport Safety Bureau had travelled to Port Moresby.
The Australian Federal Police has sent a team of six specialists to provide medical and other forensic support to help with the identification process.
More than 20 planes have crashed since 2000 in Papua New Guinea, where the rugged terrain and lack of internal connecting roads makes air travel crucial for around six million citizens
AIRLINES PNG has pledged its total commitment to establish the cause of last Thursday’s tragic crash and support the families of the 28 victims.
“Today, we join with the mourning and the sadness of the entire nation, in this truly dreadful day for PNG and its people,” APNG spokesman Erastus Kamburi said in a media conference last Friday.
He said the company had established that there was an emergency situation onboard the Dash 8 aircraft on approach to Madang airport.
“It has also been confirmed there was bad weather in the area at the time. The crew attempted to conduct a controlled emergency landing but the aircraft broke upon impact and part of the fuselage caught fire.”
He said despite attempts by the crew to assist in the rescue, 28 passengers, all PNG nationals, died at the scene.
Kamburi said Airlines PNG was working with authorities for the repatriation of the victims to their families.
“We can confirm that Capt Bill Spencer, first officer Campbell Wagstaff, flight attendant Kapi Eria and one passenger survived the accident.”
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
PARENTS and families of those who lost their lives in last Thursday’s tragic plane crash in Madang were paid a special tribute during a candlelight memorial ceremony.
The candlelight ceremony was held at
the Divine Word University to remember the 11 of the 28 victims who were parents and families of final year students.
They were making their way to Madang to join their children in this year’s missioning ceremony last Friday.
They died as the Airlines PNG Dash-8 aircraft CG1600 crashed in the North Coast area.
The university’s chaplain Fr Edward Meli said the ceremony was organised by the Students Representative Council.
He said the university was a community that comprised academics, students, parents and families and the
gathering was important in this time of mourning.
President Fr Jan Czuba, on behalf of his administration, expressed his sympathy to those who lost their loved ones.
The parents and relatives of the 11 of 28 killed were Christine Matlam, Chloe Matlam, Natasha Matlam Bonga, Nathan Bonga, Louise Miria Renagi, Jeffery Bula, Clothilda Bula, Jenny Bal, Deborah Rabura, Cecilia Wata and Simon Tiriman.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and some government officials will officiate in a memorial service at the DWU at 1.30pm today.
APNG: We will cooperate to establish cause
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
“Today, we join with the mourning and the sadness of the entire nation, in this truly dreadful day for PNG and its people,” APNG spokesman Erastus Kamburi said in a media conference last Friday.
He said the company had established that there was an emergency situation onboard the Dash 8 aircraft on approach to Madang airport.
“It has also been confirmed there was bad weather in the area at the time. The crew attempted to conduct a controlled emergency landing but the aircraft broke upon impact and part of the fuselage caught fire.”
He said despite attempts by the crew to assist in the rescue, 28 passengers, all PNG nationals, died at the scene.
Kamburi said Airlines PNG was working with authorities for the repatriation of the victims to their families.
“We can confirm that Capt Bill Spencer, first officer Campbell Wagstaff, flight attendant Kapi Eria and one passenger survived the accident.”
Divine Word University remembers families lost in plane crash
Source: The National - Monday 17th October, 2011
The candlelight ceremony was held at
the Divine Word University to remember the 11 of the 28 victims who were parents and families of final year students.
They were making their way to Madang to join their children in this year’s missioning ceremony last Friday.
They died as the Airlines PNG Dash-8 aircraft CG1600 crashed in the North Coast area.
The university’s chaplain Fr Edward Meli said the ceremony was organised by the Students Representative Council.
He said the university was a community that comprised academics, students, parents and families and the
gathering was important in this time of mourning.
President Fr Jan Czuba, on behalf of his administration, expressed his sympathy to those who lost their loved ones.
The parents and relatives of the 11 of 28 killed were Christine Matlam, Chloe Matlam, Natasha Matlam Bonga, Nathan Bonga, Louise Miria Renagi, Jeffery Bula, Clothilda Bula, Jenny Bal, Deborah Rabura, Cecilia Wata and Simon Tiriman.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and some government officials will officiate in a memorial service at the DWU at 1.30pm today.
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