Two Chch girls in aircraft fire

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 1

Two Chch girls in aircraft fire

Two Christchurch girls, Misses K. de Keijzer and M. Ward, were among passengers on the Air France jumbo jet which caught fire on the runway of Santa Cruz Airport. Bombay, two days ago. The two girls were four days out of Christchurch on a flight together to Europe, where they were to spend 18 months. Their aircraft, a Boeing 747. was on a scheduled flight from Hong Kong t to Paris, via Bombay, and

liwas taxi-ing for take-off i »I when a fire was noticed in I '(the undercarriage. All four engines caught 5 j fire before the pilot could ; >! return to base, and the order ' ijfor evacuation was given on I the runway. i i Mr J. de Keijzer said in 1 'i Christchurch yesterday thati !he had not heard from the:' I girls personally, but that he; - had received a telex through J U.T.A. French Airlines ini' ■'Christchurch which said:, ■ “Karen safe, Marianna safe,;' 5 lost passports, money, every-;! i thing.” ' ' |] “Everything meant theirp 'shoes as well,” Mr de'< ’ Keijzer said. “They had toil 11 take them off to get downii

'the chute. All they have is jwhat they are wearing.” Mr de Keijzer sent a telex back to Bombay yesterday afternoon through U.T.A., expressing his and Mrs de Keijzer’s concern that the girls had no money and clothing, and asking when the flight would proceed. :(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter said from! ! Bombay that the Santa Cruzj runway would be closed fori I several days.) i Although the girls’ luggage' (was insured, the cover was; I less than the value of their! i possessions, among them ai ! tape-recorder and camera.' and summer clothing. Mrs de; Keijzer said. In their haste .to leave the aircraft the girls!

had had no time to gather personal belongings from the hat-racks.

Mr B. J. Pike, sales manager of U.T.A. agents for Air France in Christchurch, said that the first concern of the airline was the lives of the passengers. His only official notification had been that the 'two girls were safe. Beyond | that, he could only guess that .they were housed in firsti class accommodation, and 'that the airline was attendling to their wants. ! This would include outfit-; ting them completely with; 'clothing and toiletries, and arranging an onward flight. Passports were being compiled in Christchurch for

the girls, and would be sent to Bombay by registered mail. Information necessary for tickets would be telexed by U.T.A. to Bombay, and the girls’ tickets would be re-' issued. Mr Pike Aid that no im-l mediate assessment could be! made in Bombay of the value! of passengers’ luggage. In-I stead, the airline followed a; •set procedure in emergencies,! 'and a certain sum was i allowed for. He assumed that .passengers were then out- ; fitted at the airline’s expense to that amount, and rectification made when details of i insurance cover arrived.