Aug 30 2024.
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Some of you who are over fifty may recall an aviation event in 1974 in Sri Lanka. In a small garden in Norton Bridge, between Theberton and Maskeliya in the Central Province of Sri Lanka lies an airplane tyre. It’s a visual memorial to the plane that crashed several miles away. A small plaque relates to the 2nd deadliest aviation disaster on record at the time. 191 people died when the DC8 plane hit Saptha Kannya Mountain (Seven Virgin Hills). The tyre is one of three monuments to the tragedy.
Of the two memorials one is on the hillside near the crash site, placed by some of the family who lost relatives, and the third lies on Lelystad airfield, now the biggest airport in the Netherlands. This lists the names of aircrew who were tragically lost. It is a 3-5 hours drive from Colombo to the Theberton Estate plane crash site in the Central Province. Martin Air charter flight was to take 182 Hajj pilgrims to Mecca as it left from Java via Colombo. They and the crew all perished as the plane hit a mountain 1,500 metres above sea level.
The plane had been told to descend to 610 meters from the traffic control at Colombo airport. Some confusion about where the plane actually was appears to be the main issue. Do you believe in fate? Either way, see in my first book page 137 onwards. It covers fate and travels on and off MH370, MH17 and Pan Am 103. Who died and why others didn’t get on the planes? I read an article online from the New York Times in the year of the Martin Air accident. It states 259 people were on board, with some survivors critically injured. The air traffic control thought the plane was 2 miles out from the airport. The newspapers list the accident as having the 4th highest death rate globally. The Whinging Pome Random Rule No. 306: “Don’t always believe what you read in a newspaper.” I was asked a few months ago if when writing travel stories do I make up situations that are not true. I don’t. I do however weave in some creative expressive adjectives from time to time. For those musically inclined there is a song sung by Anton Jones, no relation to the Welsh Tom Jones, called DC 8.
I’ve driven in the area and was not aware of the crash but having found a true story in the region I am now putting the area on my travel plans for a stayover. There is a reservoir, waterfalls and lots of healthy walking. I will not be restricting myself to one taphophile search in the area, but let’s wait and see. I hope to find a first responder alive and kicking. I have planned to stay at Seven Hills Bungalow, which looks very “country” but Jezzabel may be staying in the nearest luxury villa. I would be interested in catching up with anyone who has additional information or has been to the site.
(Image copyrights: Pol van den Scheetek, Ruchiram4 & Rehman Abubakr)
1 Comments
sanjeeva lokuge says:
Oct 19, 2024 at 07:56 pmhi to you i am pleased to read this article and i have read many articles and watched several interviews on the plane crash at 7-virgin hills. this year marks the 50th anniversary of the tragic crash. i am planning to visit the area (though i may not camp on top). i want to climb at least two mountains and descend and rest. please get in touch with me. thank you Sanjeeva [email protected] +94778013143