AUCKLAND – Air New Zealand will go ahead with a proposal to take five next of kin of those lost in the Erebus tragedy to Antarctica for the 30th anniversary on November 28 this year.
Families of those lost in the tragedy were supportive of representatives attending services at Erebus and Scott Base.
There was also support for the opportunity for families to leave messages in a capsule adjacent to the memorial cross at Mt Erebus.
Air New Zealand has begun the process of formally applying to the NZ government for access to the memorial cross at Mt Erebus.
The composition of the five family representatives going to Antarctica will be three representing the families of customers and one each representing the cabin crew and flight crew.
All 237 passengers and 20 crew perished when an AirNZ DC-10 on a sightseeing trip to Antarctica crashed into Mt Erebus.
Also travelling to Antarctica will be the Very Reverend Peter Beck from Christchurch Cathedral to officiate the services, a representative of the NZ government, Air New Zealand general manager airline operations and chief pilot, Captain David Morgan.
Two representatives of Television New Zealand will broadcast and document on video the event ceremonies so they can be shared with the families of all those lost on Erebus.
Air New Zealand will also hold services in Auckland and Christchurch to mark both the 30th anniversary of Erebus and the first anniversary of the A320 accident in Perpignan off the coast of France on November 28 last year.
