Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 off San Lucido: 21 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 8, 1954 at 2004 LT
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALYY
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Rome – Cairo – Addis Ababa – Nairobi – Johannesburg
MSN:
6011
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
SA201
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Captain / Total hours on type:
86.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
47
Aircraft flight hours:
2704
Circumstances:
Owned by BOAC, the aircraft was operated by South African Airways with a SAA crew under flight SA201. It left Rome-Ciampino Airport at 1932LT (25 minutes delay due to a technical problem) with an ETA at Cairo Airport at 2220LT. While cruising at an estimated altitude of 35,000 feet off the Italian coast, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens at 2004LT and crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 17 km off San Lucido. SAR operations were quickly dispatched but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 21 occupants was found.
Probable cause:
Owing to the absence of wreckage, we are unable to form a definite opinion on the cause of the accident near Naples, but we draw attention to the fact that the explanation offered for the accident at Elba appears to be applicable to that at Naples.
Final Report:
