TWENTY-SIX KILLED

Chronicle (Levin), 16 November 1946, Page 5

TWENTY-SIX KILLED

DUTCII AIR DISASTER Received Fnriav, 7.0 p.m. AMNTERDAM, Xov. 14. Tweiitv-Mx wcrt' killed, iucluding the British fiilnt, when a Iioval Dutch Airlines Rahotu from London bwst into llaines wlien touching down at SchipoJ uiriield. There wero no survivors. A few minutes hefore the accident a iues.sage wns received from the plane reading: "Engiiic on lire. Heading for Seliipol. '' The plane is reported to have circled over the airJield for some tixne before altempting to land. It is understood .1 of 21 passengers were British and the remainder Dutch. I he pilot, t'ajitain .Merton, was one of the ninst experienced KLM pilots. A IvLM otficial said the liight of the Dakota was entirelv norma] until the very last minute. A column of flames shot skyward as the plane touched down on the grass alongside tlte runway. An eye-witness said tlie plane uas eomplet ely gutted in seven mimites. It is coniirmed that iive passengers were British and that the remaind6r, also four members of the ctvw, were Daltdi. Several Netherlands army otiieers were among those killcd. The Dakota eireled the aerodrome for dii minutes before conjing down to land. Fire brigades went to the seene immediately but tlie blu/e was so sliortl and devastating that flothlng could be dotte. All the oceuparits were burned beyond reeognitidn. Tlie plane .was in ' oueh with the Schipol control tower until the last minute but oftieials would not diselose tlie nature of the messages reeei \ ed jiending an investigation.