Kegworth air disaster: Survivors and families to remember victims 30 years on
A memorial service is to be held today to remember the 47 people '“ 29 of them from Northern Ireland '“ who died in the Kegworth air disaster 30 years ago.
A Belfast-bound British Midland Boeing 737-400 crashed on an embankment of the M1 at Kegworth after suffering engine trouble on the evening of January 8, 1989.
As well as the 47 deaths, the crash resulted in 74 serious injuries, with Kegworth villagers joining emergency services to help tend the wounded.
The Leicestershire village’s parish council will host a memorial service at St Andrew’s Church at 11am.
Survivors, the families of those who died as well as emergency service personnel who tended to the casualties have been invited.
Among those set to attend the event are local men Leslie Bloomer and Dessie Clarke, who along with their friend Mervyn Finlay had been on the ill-fated flight.
All three men were fortunate to survive the crash.
Taking part in today’s service will be Belfast priest Fr Gary Donegan, who will give a reading at the interdenominational service of remembrance.
Survivors and victims’ families will lay wreaths at the crash memorial in Kegworth Cemetery.
Flight 92 developed a problem with one of the engines as it was en route from Heathrow to Belfast with 126 people on board.
The flight was diverted to East Midlands Airport, and it later transpired that when the trouble occurred the pilots had shut down the wrong engine.
Crashing on to the M1, the plane somehow managed to avoid hitting any vehicles and no-one on the motorway was hurt.
• Read related stories - Kegworth air disaster: Survivors and families to remember dead at 30th anniversary service