Erebus air disaster: Government asks families to check victims' names for memorial

Monday, 17 June 2019

Family of victims of the 1979 Mt Erebus air disaster are being asked to check a list of the names of those killed, before they are inscribed on a national memorial.

On November 28, 1979, an Air New Zealand flight crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 passengers and crew on board. It was the Southern Hemisphere's worst aviation accident.

As work continues on the memorial, Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, is asking family members to check the names which will be inscribed on the new national Erebus memorial.

The chosen design for the national Erebus memorial, Te Paerangi Ataata – Sky Song.

'A list of names is now available to the public, and I encourage family members or family friends to check the list and get in touch with the [ministry] if there are any errors or questions,' Bernadette Cavanagh, the ministry's chief executive, said.

**READ MORE:

The names of those who died in the crash will be written on the walls of the walkway.

* Design for national Erebus memorial unveiled in Auckland

* Memorial site for Mt Erebus crash victims proposed for Parnell Rose Gardens**

'We are also keen to hear about preferred names.'

In April, it was announced the national memorial would be completed by May 2020, built in Auckland's Parnell Rose Gardens, otherwise known as Dove-Myer Robinson Park.

The design of the memorial, called Te Paerangi Ataata – Sky Song, includes a walkway projecting to the horizon.

Te Paerangi Ataata – Sky Song was created by Wellington firm Studio Pacific Architecture, with designer Jason O'Hara and musician Warren Maxwell.

At the time, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the design reflected the enormity of the tragedy and provided 'a strong sense of connection and loss'.

It 'provides a sanctuary within its walls, evoking the great emptiness experienced for those who lost their lives', she said.

'It stood out to me because it provided space, much longed-for space for families to be able to realise their individual loved ones, it provided that sense of reflection and reverence.'

Cavanagh said the inscription of victims' names on the memorial had been a 'strong desire' from family members and was a prominent feature on Te Paerangi Ataata – Sky Song.

'Erebus remains one of New Zealand's worst accidents. This memorial will go some way in reflecting the loss felt by family and friends of the passengers and crew, as well as the impact on the nation,' she said.

Cavanagh said the memorial's project team had a complete list of the passengers and crew from Flight TE901, cross-referenced with a list from Coronial Services, Air New Zealand, the Births, Deaths and Marriages office, and the NZ Police Museum.

The team was also working with embassies and high commissions to confirm the names of citizens from other nations, she said.

To view the list of names and to provide feedback, visit the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website here.