LONDON. Jan. 11 - The possibility that sabotage caused the crash of the Comet jet-airliner yesterday with the loss of 35 lives would be seriously considered, a British Overseas Airways Corporation spokesman said early today.
“There is at present no reason to believe that
sabotage was
responsible, but we shall consider it together with other theories,” he
added.
Commenting on reports that explosions were heard by fishermen,
the spokesman
added: “We have had no official news of any explosions, but a
Comet is less
likely to have explosions that a non-jet plane.
The Comet carrying 10 children among its 29 passengers and
a crew of 6,
plunged into the Mediterranean of the Italian island of Elba half
an hour after
leaving Rome for London.
Any hope of any survivors being found has now been abandoned.
Among the passengers were Australian-born Chester Wilmot,
broadcaster, war historian
and military commentator.
Two other journalists among the victims were Mr Tom Moore, art
director and Miss EM
Fairbrother, liaison editor of a woman’s magazine, who were on their
way to
Britain after a three-month business visit to Australia.
The full casualty list issued by B.O.A.C. was:-
BOARDED AT:
SINGAPORE - JP Hill, J Steel
BANGKOK - FJ Greenhouse, R Sawyer-Snelling (14), Captain RV Wolfson
RANGOON - C Wilmot
KARACHI - Mrs D Baker, Miss E Fairbrother, T Moore, HE Schuchmann
BAHRAIN - JM Bunyan, A Bunyan and Bunyan, (all believed children) B
Butler, JB Crilly, B
Crilly (believed a child), Israel, Miss R Khedouri (13), Miss N
Khedouri (15), Miss L
Yateem (17).
BEIRUT - Mrs RE Gerald, Master M Geldard, Miss C Geldard,
AD Leavat, SF
Naamin, ES MacLachlan, JV or JY Ramsden, A Vrisa.
ROME - Captain CA Livingstone
CREW - Captain Alan Gibson D.F.C. (31), First Officer WJ Bury, Engineer
Officer FC
McDonald, Radio Officer LP McMahon, Steward FL Saunders, Stewardess
Jean Evelyn Clark.
From THE AGE (Melbourne) 12th January 1954