Makkah pilgrimage that never happened Reflecting on ‘Martinair’ 50 years after the plane crash

 The plane crash in Sri Lanka, which featured the Dutch Martinair DC8 aircraft, took place 50 years ago on a day like today

The Seven Virgins Mountain range whch is also known as Uper Laxapana Mountain Range

• The aircraft was travelling from Surabaya International Airport in Indonesia bumped into the Seven Virgins Hill range in Norton Bridge
•  The crash claimed the lives of 182 passengers and nine crew members
• The flight with Makkah bound pilgrims had crashed into the hills in thick jungle at the dead of night on that fateful day
• What’s sad to find out today is that the graves of these victims have been left to the mercy of the jungle

The most terrible plane crash in Sri Lanka which featured the Dutch Martinair DC8 aircraft and took place on December 4, 1974 marks 50 years today. 

The aircraft travelling from Surabaya International Airport in Indonesia bumped into the Seven Virgins Hill range in Norton Bridge. The crash claimed the lives of 182 passengers and nine crew members. 

The flight with Makkah bound pilgrims had crashed into the hills in thick jungle at the dead of night on that fateful day. The remains of the dead passengers and the crew were scattered at the scene where there was debris of the wreckage.

The DC8 plane flying at an elevation of 36000 metres  above sea level had developed a technical fault and the pilot had sought permission for a crash landing at Katunayake International Airport. It is alleged that on the instructions of the aviation authorities the pilot had lowered the plane to an elevation of 4000 metres. 

However, when the plane, flying above Castlereigh reservoir in Bogawantalawa, was brought down to a lower elevation, one of its wings had hit the mountain, triggering an explosion. Elderly individuals of this area- who had visited the scene of the accident- still have gloomy memories of the incident etched in their minds. They remember how the body of an air hostess which was identified by her lover, who had arrived in Sri Lanka, was flown to Indonesia by helicopter.

“We were lodged at Kotthenlena Sinhala Maha Vidyalya. Our assignment was to collect the remains of the dead that were lying at the summit and the foot of the hill. We brought all the remains of the bodies to one place at the foot of the hill.  Later 191 bodies were buried in a mass grave. In fact it was a harrowing experience in my life”

P.H.Nimal De Silva (69) of Glanclon in Norwood

“When the fire alarm in the estate sounded at about 10.10 pm all of us ran towards the factory. The owner of the estate was a gentlemen named Soysa. He told us that a plane had crashed into the hill. The entire area was shrouded in a thick mist that prevented us from travelling to the scene”

Weerappan Raj (58), a resident of Tiberton Estate

This writer visited the scene of crash at the time it was being prepared for this year’s commemoration ceremony. The venue is Mulgama Estate, which is at the foot of the Seven Virgin hill range. What’s sad to find out at present is that the graves of the victims have been left to the mercy of the jungle.

The site where all the pilgrims who died in the crash were buried

It was with great difficulty that this correspondent could contact two individuals who were eyewitnesses to the incident. The duo were young men at that time and at present elderly men. They still have clear memories of the incident.

The monument built at Norton Bridge Wimalasurendra Reservior in memory who perished

A picture taken on the day of the crash shows people flocking to the area

A picture taken of Martinair after it crashed

One of them is P.H.Nimal De Silva (69) of Glanclon in Norwood. He had been attached to the First Gemunu Watch in Diyatalawa Army Cantonment as a driver. 

“I was a young man of 19 years at the time. The Commanding Officer of the Gemunu Watch Mr. Lucky Algama with a platoon of about 100 soldiers rushed to the scene. We were lodged at Kotthenlena Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya. Our assignment was to collect the remains of the dead that were lying at the summit and the foot of the hill. We brought all the remains of the bodies to one place at the foot of the hill.  Later 191 bodies were buried in a mass grave. In fact it was a harrowing experience in my life.” Silva said.

Another eyewitness of the tragedy, who introduced himself as Thilak (62), said that he was then a child who was 12 years old, but added that he remembered the incident quite well.

“A huge crowd had gathered at the scene. Several of them took away the debris of the plane. The people made a bee line to the scene of the accident for several days to watch what happened in the aftermath of the crash,” he said.  

Weerappan Raj (58), a resident of Tiberton Estate at the foot of the Seven Virgin hill range, is another individual who was an eyewitness of the explosion. He said that he was a small boy of about eight years when the accident took place.

“When the fire alarm in the estate went off at about 10.10 pm all of us ran towards the factory. The owner of the estate was a gentlemen named Soysa. He told us that a plane had crashed into the hill. The entire area was shrouded in a thick mist that prevented us from travelling to the scene.  He informed Norton Bridge police. A police team and two helicopters arrived. Later we realised that the plane had crashed into the mountain range and several passengers had died. The army and the police recovered the bodies. Thousands of people visited the scene of crash and some of them took away pieces of the wreckage,” he recalled. It is of significance that this correspondent was shown a Hong Kong Dollar Note, which could have belonged to a passenger on board the plane. It had been lying under a bush. One of the wheels of the plane and the names of the crew are on display in front of the Wimalasurendra reservoir.

 (Translated by J. Thilakarathne)