ELEVEN KILLED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 7

ELEVEN KILLED

FIVE OF HESSE FAMILY BELGIAN PLANE CRASHES ON WAV TO LONDON FROM MUNICH I Culled I’resx A kpwhmh t inn -By Electric Teh’.gi nidi -Uoii.vricat 1 (Received 17th November, 1.3 a p.m.) LONDON, Kith November. Eight passengers and three members of the crew were burned to death when ;i London-bound Belgian Sabena aiiliner seeking to land in a dense log on the outskirts of Ostciul struck a brickworks chimney, broke in two, clashed, and burst into Humes. Nobody sinviverl. [ The Grand Duke Hesse and his family, who boarded the plane at [Munich, were going to London to at- ! tend the wedding on 2()th November jof bis brother, Prince Louis Hesse, social attache at tiie German Embassy [in London, to Margaret Campbell j Gecldcs, daughter of Sir Auckland Gcddcs. Because of fog the plane did not land Lit Brussels ns scheduled, but flew to Ostend to pick up two passengers. The fog was dense when the liner arrived over Ostend, but aerodrome officials prepared a landing. As the airliner planed down to the landing ground it crashed into a chimney of a brickyard, of which there are several in the neighbourhood. An eye-witness said: “The plane hit the chimney at about 100 miles per hour. A wing and one of the engines broke off and crashed through the roof of the brickworks. The remainder of the plane overturned and crashed into llie brickfield fifty yards away, where it burst into flames. There were several men in the brickfield but none was hurt. The noise was heard a considerable distance. Residents rushed to the spot, but as the rescuers approached there was a terrific explosion. The machine was a mass of (lames and it was impossible to approach. Gendarmes kept the crowd back from the blazing wreckage. Identification of the bodies is difficult, as they are badly charred. There was a visibility of 250 yards, and the ceiling was only 160 feet. The 'plane was a Junker’s 52 threeengined low wing monoplane widely used in the European commercial services. Prince Louis. who is heir to the Grand Duke’s title, and Miss Geddes, were awaiting the ’plane at Croydon when an official of Imperial Airways, approaching the happy, laughing group, broke the news. Prince Louis was so shocked that he required treatment before going to London. The wedding was postponed last month because of the death of the Grand Duke, but after a conference to-night between the couple and Sir Auckland Geddes, it was announced that it would be held privately on 17th November. Tiie wedding presents include one from Queen Mary (Received 17th November, 10.5 a.m.) OSTEND, 16th November. A Belgian Sabena passenger plane crashed at Ostend on the way to London from Munich. Eight passengers and three members of the crew were killed, including tiie Prince of Hesse, his son, and three daughters, lie was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria.