Images of crashed aircraft…

You are right.
Probably its natural human nature to see what actually happened, I was glued to sky news yesterday looking at the events unfolding in London, I’m not a very squeemish person but I did find it very upsetting, it was my dearly beloveds birthday yesterday but it was a most miserable event. I don’t know how I would cope with an incident at Legends this weekend bearing in mind that my attitude towards mankind at the moment is at an all time low, you’ve put me off going.

Oh God Pete, I never intended to do that….

Sky are a law unto themselfs what did the ITC do nothing just told Sky they were naughty little children and gave them a tap on the wrist.

Imigaes like those mentioned on here no matter how sad and tragic will always rise public intrest its the way people are.

Be it 9/11 or the London bombigs a 747 crash or a cessna crash if its been caught on video it will be on telly.

Sadly most of the time it will be broudcast before relitives know about the event, its one of the big problems with 24 hour news channels, they will all rush to be the first to show the pictures, just look at the Firefly accident, the same happend with the Lowestoft Harrier tottaly diffrent as the pilot surrived the accident but within an hour of the accident it was on Sky News over and over again.

rember that you can always change channels or turn off the TV.

Off topic, but just to respond to an earlier point. The phrase ‘safety is no accident’ is vital to remember. To regard accidents as in any way inevitable is setting a bad expectation.

It is sadly notable how many famous photos of aviation involve death or destruction, from the cubist painting Guernica by Picasso to the famous photo of the Pan Am 747 nose at Lockerbe.

There is a very simple solution. Don’t buy the newspapers. Don’t watch the TV. Use the radio as your main source of information. That way you get all the information you need and you can do something else useful while you are listening.

Go to Legends and, as I have done myself, if you don’t feel happy watching the aircraft, just turn your back. But go and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s electric.

And if you feel the need to sell pictures of people suffering to the press, I hope that, should you ever be the suffering subject that is being photographed, who has just had someone killed next to them, or just had your house flooded, that you will be able to raise a smile for the nice man with the camera who will make a buck out of your agony.

Well said Auster Fan.

I’m not sure if I am speaking out of turn here and apologies if I am. For those who are not aware, a relation of the Firefly crew is a member of this forum and it might be wise to be a little circumspect with comments, as this weekend will undoubtedly be difficult, as he has commented elsewhere. I’m not trying to stop the discussion, but just to caution against possible upsetting comments.

Pete,

If everyone took your stance, we would never see any images of an event that resulted in a loss of life. Not saying you’re right or wrong, just making the observation. Also its just ever so slightly off topic again as I think you’re really exploring your own feelings about distributing these images, rather than how you fel about seeing them.

Any which way, its a tough one. Thanks for your contribution..

You are right.
Probably its natural human nature to see what actually happened, I was glued to sky news yesterday looking at the events unfolding in London, I’m not a very squeemish person but I did find it very upsetting, it was my dearly beloveds birthday yesterday but it was a most miserable event. I don’t know how I would cope with an incident at Legends this weekend bearing in mind that my attitude towards mankind at the moment is at an all time low, you’ve put me off going.

It’s a difficult one.

I was vehemently opposed to Sky’s gratuitous coverage of the Firefly crash which was shown repeatedly within an hour of the crash. Were all of Bill Murton and Neil Rix’s family aware of the event by that time? do I ever need to see it again? No. It is enought to know that humanity lost two men and the airshow scene a valuable airframe.

As for events like London and September 11th, their enormity is such that one feels compelled to watch. I didn’t watch a 767 hit one of the towers and think ‘mmm, interesting way to make a firebomb.’ Like the overwhelming majority of people I was horrified, but somehow you can’t turn away.

The use of such images therefore probably does have a value in terms of informing the viewer as to the seriousness of the event. What cannot be justified is the use of such imagery as a way to increase exposure and market share of the media involved.

But then is it all a matter of scale? We have seen the images of the twin towers repeated thousands of times. Obviously the image of the death of a politician by terrorist action (Airey Neave) does not have that same impact at all. Are the images of the eleven soldiers and their horses slaughtered in Hyde Park repeated again and again? Perhaps the Twin Towers will come to be the iconic image of the decade?

Yet we have no real problem on the Historic Forum in looking at the mangled remains of a Heinkel, Halifax or Wellington, even though they are likely to have held the mortal remains of a number of crewmen.

I have to think more about this to reach a conclusion.

Regards,

kev35

When the Firefly crashed I was only a few yards away from the impact.

Maybe next time you’d like to pay to get into the show and support the operation of vintage aircraft.

Sorry Mk12

Totally right. Taking pictures of anything isn’t that bad, but selling pictures of crashes where people died for mutch money isn’t fair.
How do you think families of the victim will react?

Taking photos of such incidents in itself is surely no problem, after all, if photos are of use to the relevant authorities in establishing the cause, and hopefully of preventing a repeat of similar disaster, then this must be a good thing. Having been at Biggen when the Vampire crashed, a long stream of people queued up to hand over film/photos of the incident in readiness for AAIB investigation.

However, it is the wanton use of similar photos/video for commercial gain (either in terms of selling them on for hard cash, or in terms of media gaining increased “readership” via sensationalist use of such images) that is unacceptable.

Of course, the problem is where does legitimate desire to “inform the public” cross the line into “unnessecary bad-taste voyerurism”. Maybe showing the picture/clip not more than once, or taking care to edit out point/moment of impact etc, might be tolerable? Maybe preface any showing with a warning that some viewers may find it offensive/unpleasent/disturbing etc?

Also, passage of time tends to ease the pain? I guess many of us view pictures of aircrashes from WWII without anything more than a momentary conscious concern for people who may have been involved?

Widespread promulgation of pictures of 9/11 attacks may well have been justified, if only to alert the average punter as to just how serious the matter was – a matter of global concern. Pictures of an airshow crash such as Firefly can hardly be viewed in same league – and no, I’m not trivialising the latter accident in any way, for those present or closely involved it was just as bad as 9/11.

Maybe press compalints commission needs to act more firmly, or set tighter guidelines. However, with the advent of the web, control of this type of concern becomes ever harder. There will always be someone somewhere happy to sell on, or post, a photo of someone else’s misfortune for their own personla gain or own personal kicks.

It is usually easy to see the motive behind use of the images.
I guess the more well balanced, morally upright, amongst the wider population have to adopt the role of guardians of decency and take to task anyone overstepping the mark – though even this may feed their very sick egos by gaining them even more publicity or notoriety?

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Paul F

yes, I did, horrible

Taylorman,

Did you see the images of 9/11?

I have seen the crash of the Firefly. It was horrible and something I’ll never forget. If you have seen it you probably know what I mean

Pete,

If everyone took your stance, we would never see any images of an event that resulted in a loss of life. Not saying you’re right or wrong, just making the observation. Also its just ever so slightly off topic again as I think you’re really exploring your own feelings about distributing these images, rather than how you fel about seeing them.

Any which way, its a tough one. Thanks for your contribution..

Pictures of crashed aircraft shouldn’t be published. What is so interesting to see pictures of what was a plane?
It isn’t fair to the people who were envolved with such accidents I think.

When the Firefly crashed I was only a few yards away from the impact, having been a keen photographer for 40 years my natural instinct was to take pictures of the crash up to the point where the fire crews were hosing down the wreckage, however when I had the photos developed, I felt sick, my missus couldn’t look at them, they have been put away, no way would I ever consider publishing them on this site.
Incidentally, the SKY pictures came via a lap top and digital camera by 2 reporters from Reuters, I was standing with them when they were distributing the info, I did tell them that they were ### and to ### but, they said it was just their job , I suppose they are right but on the other hand making money out of 2 unfortunate deaths.
But I still don’t know wether I would take pictures of a similar incident again, probably would if in such a close situation, but would I sell to the media, doubt it, had my video of the Finchingfield floods shown on Anglia TV news and the gits never paid me, sorry, being mercenary.

My strong belief these images should not be repeated during The Firefly incident Sky news showed the clip time and time again. How awful it must have been for the families this could be said about 9/11. then again this area is a touchy subject and agreed with Steve we should think in greater depth.

Guys, you all make good points but as Steve says just a little off topic. The question is how do we deal with images of disasters / crashed aircraft…