As seen on the website;
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~diving/articles/qantas95.htm
Click on the link above for the full story!!!
The Sandringham as she sits today at the bottom of Port Vila Harbour,
Vanatu.
Overview....
On 10 June 1951, with Captain P.J.R. Shields at the controls, VH-EBW was attempting a take-off in Port Vila Harbour enroute to Santo when it had to avoid a dugout canoe powered by an outboard that strayed into its path.
Unfortunately, this action forced the pilot to turn hard to starboard and the
plane struck a coral noggerhead (outcrop) and the hull was holed in several places. In about 1994 I spoke to Hugh Birch (see paragraph above - he died on 3 January 1996) who was not crewing but a passenger on the plane and he confirmed this story to me.
RNZAF CRUMP NANCOLLAS SERVICE MOTAT FIJI UNION ISLANDS GUAM JOYITA FOF SELETAR VANUATU WRECKS REICHELT LINKS
The pilot rammed the plane up on a nearby beach and although the plane did not sink, it was extensively damaged to such an extent that Qantas wrote the plane off and abandoned it in Vila. It lay for some time near Irriki Island Resort (then
the British Commissioner's Residence) until the authorities tired of it.
Either soon after the accident or while abandoned, the plane was stripped of its engines and other valuable items.
A photograph shows the plane at a dangerous angle with men in a small boat attempting to remove the engines.
Eventually the plane was scuttled in a corner of Port Vila Harbour and lost and forgotten.
In 1978, scuba divers "discovered" the wreck of the aircraft lying upright a fair distance from where it was originally
scuttled. It appears that the last flight of the Sandringham was actually underwater as it glided to the bottom over
40 metres down.
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~diving/articles/qantas95.htm
Click on the link above for the full story!!!
RNZAF CRUMP NANCOLLAS SERVICE MOTAT FIJI UNION ISLANDS GUAM JOYITA FOF SELETAR VANUATU WRECKS REICHELT LINKS
