Date & Time:
Feb 28, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-AETZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Jakarta – Cilacap – Broome – Darwin – Sydney
MSN:
S.842
YOM:
1937
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
18
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
22
Aircraft flight hours:
7000
Circumstances:
The floatplane named 'Circe' was performing a flight from Indonesia (Jakarta and Cilacap) to Sydney on behalf of Qantas Airways, carrying 18 'refugees', women and children, escaping the war. While in cruising altitude some 400 km south of Cilacap, it was shot down by a Japanese bomber that was performing a maritime patrol flight from Denpasar. Out of control, the Empire Flying Boat crashed into the sea and was not recovered. All 22 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese bomber.
