Kenn Borek Air Twin Otter Missing in Antarctica

No hijack, just a natural progression of discussion! So many questions and so few answers. A similar dilemma would be those who lost their lives on Mount Everest and other climbs, there must be a limit to the amount of resources put out.

Those links refer to the difficulties of recovery, and the confusion over responsibility, but does not mention funding and costs, which is surely the crux of the matter.

If it is the case that the deceased are left in the crash site as a money saving measure, that is a disgraceful and shameful outcome.

While my heart agrees with Propstrike’s sentiments, my head asks who would be (or should be?) responsible for the costs of any such recovery?

The aircraft operator?

The families of the deceased?

The New Zealand Government (who appear to have jurisdiction over that area)?

The Canadian government (the State in which the aircraft was presumably registered)?

In the latter two cases would it be fair to have their nation’s taxpayers foot the bill for something which is of little, if any, relevance to 99.99% of them?

And is it sensible to put even more lives at risk, given the location involved?

I’m not saying it is right to leave the crew there, nor am I trying to play Devil’s advocate, but surely there has to come a point where the risks, and costs, have to be considered alongside the families’ (presumed?) wish to have the bodies of their loved ones brought home.

I’ve never really thought about it before, but would I wish others’ lives to be put at risk trying to recover my body if I were to be lost in a plane crash… and who should foot the bill of any such recovery?

Someone somewhere has to pay – either directly, indirectly via passenger/operator ticket surcharges into some “recovery fund” insurance pot , or very indirectly via national agencies funded by State taxation on every taxpayer.

Is there an IATA type agreement on this topic – i.e. if an accident lies on your territory then you have the responsibility to fund any recovery? And should/must the recovery effort be funded up to a pre-determined international limit per person on board – or should the recovery be funded at all cost regardless of number of people lost, difficult terrain etc?

Sorry to hijack the thread, and no disrespect of the lost crew intended.

Paul F

Bodies in the Otter and the DC-10 may never be recovered.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/recovery-in-doubt-for-remains-of-canadian-plane-crash-victims-in-antarctica/article14715682/

Those links refer to the difficulties of recovery, and the confusion over responsibility, but does not mention funding and costs, which is surely the crux of the matter.

If it is the case that the deceased are left in the crash site as a money saving measure, that is a disgraceful and shameful outcome.

Bodies in the Otter and the DC-10 may never be recovered.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/recovery-in-doubt-for-remains-of-canadian-plane-crash-victims-in-antarctica/article14715682/

Photos of the crashed plane where the bodies of the occupants still wait to be recovered.

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/enquetes-investigations/aviation/2013/a13f0011/a13f0011.asp

No voice recording has been recovered.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/03/19/antarctica-plane-crash-voice-recorder.html

There is a page for remembrances.

http://www.borekair.com/memorial/

Sad news to wake up to. The plane has been located on the mountainside at a height of 13,000 feet and the crash was non survivable. RIP. 🙁

Interesting report from Afghanistan!

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/fears-missing-plane-has-hit-mountain-5325794

http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/news/media-releases-2013/20130126c.asp

Say what? this morning they announced the weather was going to improve later today and they would hopefully get to search for the aircraft.

No location of plane on Friday, best wishes for the Saturday search. 🙂

http://www.news.com.au/world/no-rescue-for-antarctica-plane-crash/story-fndir2ev-1226561850445

‘Several thousand people live in the Antartic in summer!’ 😮

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57565563/weather-hampers-search-for-3-canadians-small-plane-missing-in-antarctica/

Fingers crossed for a successfull outcome.