Ställföreträdande flygvapenchef, brigadgeneral Tommy Petersson, höll ett kort tal och nämnde alla som omkom i olyckan. Den 18 november är även årsdagen för helikopterhaveriet vid Rörö i Göteborgs norra skärgård, då sex av våra medarbetare miste livet, endast en överlevde kraschen. Även deras namn nämndes av ställföreträdande flygvapenchefen med slutorden – Vi glömmer er aldrig! Därefter hedrade han dem med att lägga ner en krans. Foto: Petra Blomqvist/Försvarsmakten
Fredagen den 18 november var det 75-år sedan den största katastrofen, som drabbat det svenska flygvapnet, inträffade. Vid flygolyckan i Scala, Italien, förolyckades 21 människoliv.
Ställföreträdande flygvapenchefen, Brigadgeneral Tommy Petersson, fanns under dagen på plats vid Flygvapnets minneshall, på Tre Vapen, vid Gärdet i Stockholm. Där la han ner en blomsterkrans vid minnespodiet för att hedra offren.
Foto: Petra Blomqvist/Försvarsmakten
Det var 1947 som flygplanet kraschade in i sidan på berget Monte Carro nära Scala, strax norr om Salerno, och bröts i tre delar innan det kanade ned mot en ravin. Ombord fanns 24 personer varav 20 omkom direkt, en man skadades svårt och avled senare. Endast tre personer överlevde, inklusive flygplanets kapten.
Foto: Giassi Video
Även i byn Scala i Italien hölls en minnesceremoni under fredagen. I kyrkan San Lorenzo, där kistorna ställdes upp efter olyckan 1947, höll försvarsattaché Bengt Lundgren ett tal till minne av de som gick förlorade den här dagen för 75 år sedan. Med på minneshögtiden var också borgmästaren, representanter för karabinjärerna (militärpolisen), kustbevakningen och bybor.
Borgmästaren i Scala Luigi Mansi, Försvarsattaché Bengt Lundgren, 89-åriga vittnet Albino Ferrigno, Liselott Schweitz Felici, från ambassaden i Italien, i kyrkan San Lorenzo. Foto: Giassi Video
Ett av de två vittnen som idag finns kvar i livet, Albino Ferrigno, en 89-årig man, berättade under ceremonin om sina minnen. Albino, då 14 år, var en av de första som kom upp på berget och ombads av en svårt skadade flygofficer att tvätta ren honom från blod, han doppade då sin tygnäsduk i en regnvattenspuss och torkade av hans ansikte. Albino berättade också hur de byggde bårar av sönderbrutna träd uppe i kastanjelunden där flygplanet hade störtat.
Foto: Giassi Video
Försvarsattaché Bengt Lundgrens tal kan du läsa nedan.
Eccellenze, Sindaco, Capitano, Parenti, Signore e Signori, Bambini e Studenti.
E con immenso gratitudine che come Addetto alla Difesa di Svezia, mi trovo qui oggi a parlare con voi presso il monumento della memoria.
Desidero esprimere un ringraziamento particolare al Sindaco e a tutti coloro che hanno lavorato per realizzare questa commemorazione.
L’aeronautica svedese non dimenticherà mai il sostegno e la gentilezza che gli abitanti di Scala ci hanno mostrato dal giorno tragico dell’incidente aereo avvenuto qui il 18novembre 1947.
Siete una parte importante della nostra storia.
Nel mondo di oggi è ancora più importante che tutte le forze positive si uniscano.
Mi dovete scusare ma adesso continuo in inglese:
The Italian and Swedish Air forces have a long tradition of close cooperation. On each and every occasion the Swedish air force visits Italy and we are met with great hospitality.
The Cooperation, which started 100 years ago with the purchase of our first seaplane from the Italian Company Macchi, has always been regarded as very important from a Swedish perspective.
Education and pilot training has always been a central part of this cooperation. Many Swedish pilots have been trained in Italy to fly planes manufactured by Fiat, Reggiane and Caproni for example.
This cooperation also continuous in the near future when Sweden will join the Italian international flight training school and train our combat pilots in Italy and most probably in a few years also train our transport pilots here.
It is an understatement to say that there have been and will be close ties between our air forces.
However, this time our visit has a very sad background.
Seventy-five years ago on the 18th of November 1947 the Swedish Air force was hit by a tragic accident.
The background was that in 1946 the Swedish Air Force started a program to build an Ethiopian Air Force. One part of this was to equip the new air force with Swedish model B-17 bomb- and reconnaissance aircrafts.
The planes were flown to Ethiopia by pilots from different Swedish Wings and Flotillas. The pilots were given the mission as a reward for excellent service in Sweden.
The mission was carried out in the beginning of November 1947. The pilots, technicians and ground crew were then planned to fly back to Sweden in a leased Bristol Freighter Cargo plane.
The long route back to Sweden started on the 17th of November and was planned via Khartoum, Wadi Halfa and Tobruk with a nightly stop-over in Catania Sicily.
The following morning the plane took off and headed towards Rome. The weather was bad. Rainy, foggy and with gusty winds. Due to this bad weather conditions the plane crashed into the mountain Monte Carro not far away from here.
The accident happened at an altitude of about 1000 meters which made the rescue operation complicated and dangerous.
In spite of the bad conditions, heroic efforts made by the people in the village of Scala, managed to rescue five survivors from the mountain. Unfortunately due to fatal injuries, one of the survivors later died.
Altogether 21 people died in the most fatal accident in the history of the Swedish Air Force. Today we are gathered to commemorate this tragic day.
First of all and once again on behalf of the Swedish Air Force I want to express our sincere gratitude for the efforts made by the people in Scala. With great risk for their own safety a courageous rescue operation was carried out.
Thank you!
It is also important for us to remember the air crews, the tragic loss of their lives, and their families. They were some of the best pilots in the Swedish Air force with great expectations for the future. They will always be remembered and they will always be a part of the history of our Air Force. Their names are engraved in the wall of the Air Force Memorial hall in the Armed Forces HQ in Stockholm.
You will never be forgotten!
Foto: Petra Blomqvist/Försvarsmakten