§ 2.49 p.m.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government a Question of which I have given them private notice. The Question is as follows: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any statement to make regarding the Hermes airliner that came clown on the edge of the Sahara Desert in North-West Africa on May 26.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE CO-ORDINATION OF TRANSPORT, FUEL AND POWER (LORD LEATHERS)My Lords, as noble Lords will probably be aware, a Hermes aircraft of the British Overseas Airways Corporation, bound from London to Nigeria with ten passengers, force-landed in the desert about 150 miles south-east of Port Etienne, in French West Africa, on May 26. The rescue operations, which took place in very difficult conditions, were completed on June 4. I am sure your Lordships will join me in extending sympathy to the, passengers and crew who suffered in the ordeal of this accident. In particular, our sympathy goes out to the relatives of First Officer Haslam who, although incurring only slight injuries from the crash, died from sunstroke. I should like to express the gratitude of Her Majesty's Government to the French authorities, in whose territory the accident occurred, and who therefore had the responsibility for rescue operations, for their generous services in bringing succour to those stranded. I should also like to express the warm thanks of Her Majesty's Government to the United States authorities at Wheelus Field, Tripoli, for sending a helicopter to assist in the rescue.
It is well known that this aircraft was many hundreds of miles off its course. The accident is being investigated by the French authorities, in accordance with international agreement, and a senior inspector of accidents of the Ministry of Civil Aviation reached French West Africa on the day after the accident. He will act as the accredited, representative of the United Kingdom aid will take part in the inquiry. In company with the French authorites he has completed an examination of the aircraft and has returned to Dakar for the interrogation of the crew. The British Overseas Airways Airways 7 Corporation, as the operator concerned, in accordance with their normal practice are carrying out their own investigation. I am sure that noble Lords will not expect any statement on the reasons for the accident pending the outcome of the inquiries which are now being undertaken. In any case, no such statement could properly be made without the agreement of the French authorities. I hope to make a further statement when the French inquiry has been completed and its findings considered.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his full reply, and I desire to associate noble Lords sitting on this side of the House with the expressions of sympathy and thanks to which he has given voice. I have only one question to ask. Perhaps the noble Lord will be good enough to let us know when he is in a position to make a further statement, in order that a further Question can be asked.
§ LORD LEATHERSI shall be happy to do that.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, arising out of the reply, I should like to ask this question. Does the reply mean that the British authorities will accept the French inquiry, conducted under the usual procedure of such inquiries by the French, in place of any inquiry on behalf of Her Majesty's Government into the circumstances, or is the Minister still free to direct that an inquiry shall be held in this country, in addition, should be so wish?
§ LORD LEATHERSMy Lords, that particular question will, of course, be determined when we see what the French decision is. However, it is within our right to institute an inquiry of our own, and the noble Lord may be sure that if there is any need to do so that will be done.