Crash of a Short S.30 Empire Flying Boat off Senegal: 19 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 24, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
G-AFCZ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lagos – Bathurst – Lisbon – Poole
MSN:
S.885
YOM:
1937
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Some 90 minutes after its departure from Bathurst, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean off the Senegalese coast. The crew was unable to send any distress call. SAR operations were conducted and after few days, some debris and six dead bodies were found on the West African coast. None of the 19 occupants survived.
Probable cause:
It is believed the aircraft went out of control or exploded in flight following a sudden and uncontained failure on the fuel supply system.
