Isle Of Wight Crash Witness Describes Scene

Forty-five people who died when their flying boat crashed on the Isle of Wight 50 years ago were remembered in a special ceremony Sunday. The Aquila Airlines plane crashed into an abandoned chalk pit near Chessell on November 15, 1957.

Forty-three passengers and crew died at the scene, and two others later died of complications from the accident. Three honeymooning couples were among those who died.

The Short Solent flying boat (similar to type shown above) was transporting 50 passengers and eight crew from Southampton to Las Palmas and Madeira via Lisbon. It developed engine problems shortly after take-off and crashed at about 2250 GMT.

Sunday's remembrance was held at St Mary's Church in Brook, who heard from Dennis Padwick, 93, who was the police inspector on the Isle of Wight at the time of the crash, according to the BBC.

"I was aware of the grace of God [which] helped me do something I'd never done before," said Padwick who reflected on the accidents details.
"I've handled dead bodies before, but nothing like this. It's something I remember vividly.

"Relatives came to identify the bodies, and some of them were in a very distressed state," Padwick continued. "One man had lost his wife, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Someone else had to come back three or four times because he couldn't identify his daughter.”

"I felt sorrow, but I never felt like crying," said Padwick. "I had help, inner strength from somewhere, to get through it."

The Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight, Caroline Baston, conducted the service.

FMI: www.iwight.com, www.plimsoll.org/Southampton/FlyingBoats/Aquilatotheend/AquilaAirways.asp