E tū, the union for aviation workers, invites all Kiwis to join in the remembrance of the crew and passengers in Air New
Zealand’s Erebus disaster by observing one-minute’s silence on Saturday.
On 28 November, as there is every year, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony and one-minute silence observed at 1.49pm
to remember the crew of Air New Zealand TE901 who died 41 years ago on the slopes of Mt Erebus in Antarctica.
The one-minute silence marks the moment of impact, which occurred at 12.49pm NZST (1.49pm NZ Daylight Saving Time).
Twenty crew members and 237 passengers lost their lives in the tragedy.
E tū Organiser Dayna Townsend says the day marks an event that is forever etched into the memory of New Zealanders.
“Today marks a day when our national airline, the nation, and the families of those aboard, suffered a great tragedy.
“The crew memorial gardens near Auckland Airport in Māngere are a focal point for remembrance, and the event is
particularly poignant this year, as we consider the upheaval and thousands of job losses for aviation workers as a
result of the pandemic.”
On the same day, E tū also remembers the five Kiwi aviation workers who died in 2008, when their Air New Zealand A320
crashed off the coast of Perpignan, France.
Labour MP Marja Lubeck, a former flight attendant, union president, and E tū Head of Aviation, will be attending on
behalf of the Government.Where: Auckland Airport Crew Memorial, Tom Pearce Drive, MāngereTime: 1.30pm