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Surrey memorial service marks Staines air crash | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The 40th anniversary of a plane crash in Surrey in which 118 people died has been marked at a memorial service. | |
One of the UK's worst air disasters took place when British European Airways Flight BE548 crashed in a field in Staines in 1972. | One of the UK's worst air disasters took place when British European Airways Flight BE548 crashed in a field in Staines in 1972. |
The Brussels-bound aircraft had taken off minutes earlier from Heathrow. | The Brussels-bound aircraft had taken off minutes earlier from Heathrow. |
Prayers were said at the Memorial Ground at Moormede Recreation Ground, followed by a service at St Mary's Church, Staines. | |
The Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Rev Christopher Hill, took the service. | |
A memorial event is held every year in the town to remember the crash. This year participants included a contingent from Brussels. | |
Aircraft broke in two | Aircraft broke in two |
Mike Bannister, who was chief Concorde pilot for British Airways between 1995 and 2003, knew two of the pilots who were killed in the crash. | |
He said that significant advances were introduced following the investigation into the accident, including cockpit voice recorders on UK-registered larger aeroplanes. | |
"This type of accident is very sudden," he said. | |
"The crew on the flightdeck would've known what was happening, but I suspect the rest of the crew and the passengers on board would have had very little knowledge." | |
The Trident jet had been involved in another accident in 1968. Witnesses who saw it crash three miles from the airport reported how it "dropped out of the sky". | The Trident jet had been involved in another accident in 1968. Witnesses who saw it crash three miles from the airport reported how it "dropped out of the sky". |
The plane broke in two as it fell. The fuselage ploughed into trees and the tail section landed 50 yards (45m) away. | The plane broke in two as it fell. The fuselage ploughed into trees and the tail section landed 50 yards (45m) away. |
'Staines disaster' | |
Rescue teams pulled two people alive from the wreckage - a young girl, who died at the scene, and a businessman who died a few hours later in hospital. | Rescue teams pulled two people alive from the wreckage - a young girl, who died at the scene, and a businessman who died a few hours later in hospital. |
An inquiry by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch found a speed error had caused the plane to stall and the aircraft was not at a sufficient height for the crew to regain control. | An inquiry by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch found a speed error had caused the plane to stall and the aircraft was not at a sufficient height for the crew to regain control. |
In 2004, the council created a memorial bench in Moormede Recreation Ground to provide a peaceful area for reflection. | In 2004, the council created a memorial bench in Moormede Recreation Ground to provide a peaceful area for reflection. |
It also co-funded a stained glass window which was installed at St Mary's Church to commemorate the tragedy. | It also co-funded a stained glass window which was installed at St Mary's Church to commemorate the tragedy. |
Robin Sider, mayor of Spelthorne, said: "The accident became known as the Staines disaster, and was the worst air disaster in Britain until the Pan Am flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie in Scotland in 1988. | |
"I am proud to be associated with the annual commemorations of this dreadful event and thank all who are coming to remember the occasion in their own way." |