Date & Time:
Jan 30, 1942 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-AEUH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Surabaya – Kupang – Darwin
MSN:
S.850
YOM:
1938
Flight number:
XWS160
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
11
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The airplane was performing a special flight from Surabaya to Darwin with an intermediate stop in Kupang on behalf of Qantas Airways. While approaching Kupang, the floatplane named 'Corio' was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. The captain, the copilot and three passengers were able to swim to shore and were rescued while 13 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.
