Research into the loss of BEA Comet G-ARCO, 1967
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Since my original post I have made contact with a number of families of the victims. I am keen to hear from anyone directly interested in this tragedy.
Based on available material in The National Archives, along with other information and witness accounts, I have established the most likely reason for the attack on the flight. It is now, I believe, quite certain that:
1. The flight was targeted by a rival of General Georgios Grivas, who had been booked on the flight but whose booking was cancelled at the last minute.
2. The bomb was given to an unwitting courier, who was told to take a package to Nicosia from Athens and that it was essential that he travel on that flight in order to do.
3. Grivas was taken off the flight just before he set off for the airport, due to concerns that he would be attacked.
4. There is evidence of a very successful cover-up in order to prevent political ramifications.
5. The police files have been further restricted and will not be released until at least 2066 under the '99 year' rule.
6. Some files that were previously available to the public have now been restricted.
I have published a book based on the documents (some 2,500 pages) and with testimony from direct witnesses, including those working with General Grivas at the time.
The book, 'Bealine Charlie Oscar - The Mystery of Flight CY284', is available from Amazon worldwide.
Based on available material in The National Archives, along with other information and witness accounts, I have established the most likely reason for the attack on the flight. It is now, I believe, quite certain that:
1. The flight was targeted by a rival of General Georgios Grivas, who had been booked on the flight but whose booking was cancelled at the last minute.
2. The bomb was given to an unwitting courier, who was told to take a package to Nicosia from Athens and that it was essential that he travel on that flight in order to do.
3. Grivas was taken off the flight just before he set off for the airport, due to concerns that he would be attacked.
4. There is evidence of a very successful cover-up in order to prevent political ramifications.
5. The police files have been further restricted and will not be released until at least 2066 under the '99 year' rule.
6. Some files that were previously available to the public have now been restricted.
I have published a book based on the documents (some 2,500 pages) and with testimony from direct witnesses, including those working with General Grivas at the time.
The book, 'Bealine Charlie Oscar - The Mystery of Flight CY284', is available from Amazon worldwide.
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A memorial for the 66 who lost their lives
OPEN LETTER TO BRITISH AIRWAYS CEO:
Dear Mr Cruz,
First, let me congratulate BA on its Centenary year.
A wonderful achievement - from the early days of flight up to this amazing time of world travel which is so accessible to the majority.
Of course, in the early years you were not named BA, but were a combination of BOAC, BEA and several other regional airlines.
We have many happy memories of flights with BA, Covid 19 put a halt to our flight to Cyprus with you in May of this year!!
However, my purpose in writing to your company is to ask if, in this your Centenary Year, you would now commission a Memorial to the 66 who lost their lives on BEA Comet G-ARCO on the 12th October 1967. A wonderful opportunity for you to make such a gesture for the families and friends whose pain is still palpable.
My mother was one of those onboard this ill fated flight - her first ever flight as she had such a fear of flying, which she overcame to visit me, her 20 year old daughter, living in Cyprus.
BEA were very supportive at the time of this disaster and saw us through those difficult early days, we also received a copy of the official accident report in 1968. But there was never any mention of a Memorial - or bringing to justice those responsible for this crime.
Justice we may never see, but I do hope you and your company will be the ones to see that the “66” are honoured and not conveniently forgotten.
The UK, Cyprus or the island of Rhodes would all be acceptable places for a Memorial - just as G-ALYP has one on the island of Elba.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I very much hope that serious consideration is given to this matter which has for so many years been swept under the carpet of all those in power and a position to do the honourable thing.
Sincerely,
Christine Marlborough
Dear Mr Cruz,
First, let me congratulate BA on its Centenary year.
A wonderful achievement - from the early days of flight up to this amazing time of world travel which is so accessible to the majority.
Of course, in the early years you were not named BA, but were a combination of BOAC, BEA and several other regional airlines.
We have many happy memories of flights with BA, Covid 19 put a halt to our flight to Cyprus with you in May of this year!!
However, my purpose in writing to your company is to ask if, in this your Centenary Year, you would now commission a Memorial to the 66 who lost their lives on BEA Comet G-ARCO on the 12th October 1967. A wonderful opportunity for you to make such a gesture for the families and friends whose pain is still palpable.
My mother was one of those onboard this ill fated flight - her first ever flight as she had such a fear of flying, which she overcame to visit me, her 20 year old daughter, living in Cyprus.
BEA were very supportive at the time of this disaster and saw us through those difficult early days, we also received a copy of the official accident report in 1968. But there was never any mention of a Memorial - or bringing to justice those responsible for this crime.
Justice we may never see, but I do hope you and your company will be the ones to see that the “66” are honoured and not conveniently forgotten.
The UK, Cyprus or the island of Rhodes would all be acceptable places for a Memorial - just as G-ALYP has one on the island of Elba.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I very much hope that serious consideration is given to this matter which has for so many years been swept under the carpet of all those in power and a position to do the honourable thing.
Sincerely,
Christine Marlborough
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Memorial for those on G-ARCO
Further to my letter to British Airways regarding a Memorial for the 66 lost on Flight 284, I received this reply from the PR office. Perhaps this is a ray of hope that the 66 lost will finally be commemorated :
Dear Mrs Marlborough, Thank you so much for taking the time to write to Alex and Carolina. Carolina and I have spoken this morning about your letter and she has asked me to get in touch at the earliest opportunity.
Firstly, let me just say how sorry we are about the terrible loss of your mother. We can only begin to imagine the heartbreak you must have felt when you were 20 and every year since then. She and her 65 travellers who lost their lives will not be forgotten by the British Airways family.
As you’ll probably have seen in the media, notwithstanding the tragic events surrounding the BEA flight in 1967, British Airways is currently facing one of the worst crisis’ in its history. We are operating with far fewer of our teams and we are focused on doing all we can to return to flying so that customers like you will be able to travel safely to your destinations over the coming weeks and months.
We would very much like to discuss this situation with you, but the best thing would be perhaps to speak in a few weeks when we very much hope the teams that look after our BA museum and our archives will be working again, as we would like explore what has been done to honour the memory of your mother and of the 66 people involved in the incident.
Would you mind if I emailed in a few weeks’ time?
Kind regards,
Victoria
Dear Mrs Marlborough, Thank you so much for taking the time to write to Alex and Carolina. Carolina and I have spoken this morning about your letter and she has asked me to get in touch at the earliest opportunity.
Firstly, let me just say how sorry we are about the terrible loss of your mother. We can only begin to imagine the heartbreak you must have felt when you were 20 and every year since then. She and her 65 travellers who lost their lives will not be forgotten by the British Airways family.
As you’ll probably have seen in the media, notwithstanding the tragic events surrounding the BEA flight in 1967, British Airways is currently facing one of the worst crisis’ in its history. We are operating with far fewer of our teams and we are focused on doing all we can to return to flying so that customers like you will be able to travel safely to your destinations over the coming weeks and months.
We would very much like to discuss this situation with you, but the best thing would be perhaps to speak in a few weeks when we very much hope the teams that look after our BA museum and our archives will be working again, as we would like explore what has been done to honour the memory of your mother and of the 66 people involved in the incident.
Would you mind if I emailed in a few weeks’ time?
Kind regards,
Victoria
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The person who is named as having given the bomb to unsuspecting courier Avraam Solomou was Dinos Michaelides, who worked at the Cypriot Embassy in Athens at the time. I had been trying to get in contact with Michaelides, but he died in April this year. Hence now I can say that his name was passed to me.
The courier, Mr. Solomou, knew nothing about what was in the package, said to be addressed to Polykarpos Yiorkadjis, Interior Minister.
Michaelides himself went on to have a career in politics as Interior Minister under two separate presidents (Spyros Kyprianou and Glavkos Clerides) before become embroiled in various allegations of corruption, resulting in conviction in Athens in 2015.
The courier, Mr. Solomou, knew nothing about what was in the package, said to be addressed to Polykarpos Yiorkadjis, Interior Minister.
Michaelides himself went on to have a career in politics as Interior Minister under two separate presidents (Spyros Kyprianou and Glavkos Clerides) before become embroiled in various allegations of corruption, resulting in conviction in Athens in 2015.
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Memorial for victims of Comet G-ARCO accident
OPEN LETTER TO BRITISH AIRWAYS CEO:
Dear Mr Cruz,
First, let me congratulate BA on its Centenary year.
A wonderful achievement - from the early days of flight up to this amazing time of world travel which is so accessible to the majority.
Of course, in the early years you were not named BA, but were a combination of BOAC, BEA and several other regional airlines.
We have many happy memories of flights with BA, Covid 19 put a halt to our flight to Cyprus with you in May of this year!!
However, my purpose in writing to your company is to ask if, in this your Centenary Year, you would now commission a Memorial to the 66 who lost their lives on BEA Comet G-ARCO on the 12th October 1967. A wonderful opportunity for you to make such a gesture for the families and friends whose pain is still palpable.
My mother was one of those onboard this ill fated flight - her first ever flight as she had such a fear of flying, which she overcame to visit me, her 20 year old daughter, living in Cyprus.
BEA were very supportive at the time of this disaster and saw us through those difficult early days, we also received a copy of the official accident report in 1968. But there was never any mention of a Memorial - or bringing to justice those responsible for this crime.
Justice we may never see, but I do hope you and your company will be the ones to see that the “66” are honoured and not conveniently forgotten.
The UK, Cyprus or the island of Rhodes would all be acceptable places for a Memorial - just as G-ALYP has one on the island of Elba.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I very much hope that serious consideration is given to this matter which has for so many years been swept under the carpet of all those in power and a position to do the honourable thing.
Sincerely,
Christine Marlborough
Dear Mr Cruz,
First, let me congratulate BA on its Centenary year.
A wonderful achievement - from the early days of flight up to this amazing time of world travel which is so accessible to the majority.
Of course, in the early years you were not named BA, but were a combination of BOAC, BEA and several other regional airlines.
We have many happy memories of flights with BA, Covid 19 put a halt to our flight to Cyprus with you in May of this year!!
However, my purpose in writing to your company is to ask if, in this your Centenary Year, you would now commission a Memorial to the 66 who lost their lives on BEA Comet G-ARCO on the 12th October 1967. A wonderful opportunity for you to make such a gesture for the families and friends whose pain is still palpable.
My mother was one of those onboard this ill fated flight - her first ever flight as she had such a fear of flying, which she overcame to visit me, her 20 year old daughter, living in Cyprus.
BEA were very supportive at the time of this disaster and saw us through those difficult early days, we also received a copy of the official accident report in 1968. But there was never any mention of a Memorial - or bringing to justice those responsible for this crime.
Justice we may never see, but I do hope you and your company will be the ones to see that the “66” are honoured and not conveniently forgotten.
The UK, Cyprus or the island of Rhodes would all be acceptable places for a Memorial - just as G-ALYP has one on the island of Elba.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I very much hope that serious consideration is given to this matter which has for so many years been swept under the carpet of all those in power and a position to do the honourable thing.
Sincerely,
Christine Marlborough
I quote Simon Hepworth:
"I am delighted to say that, thanks to the generosity of British Airways, there is now a permanent memorial to the 66 passengers and crew lost on 12th October 1967, on board BEA Comet 4B G-ARCO. This was sanctioned by Sean Doyle, CEO, and arranged by the Global Marketing team.
The plaque is in the Garden of Remembrance at the Chapel of St. George, Heathrow Airport.
This means so much to the families, colleagues and friends of the victims."
I have seen photo of it and it looks superb. Simon and BA has done everyone proud in this matter.
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Hi Redtony, thanks for your response. Yes, we do now know that the Memorial Plaque is in place in the Garden of Remembrance at St George’s Chapel, Heathrow. Simon and I have liaised with British Airways about this Plaque for almost a year now - BA have been really wonderful, in this very difficult year, and have provided the Memorial to honour all the 66 souls lost. It is a great comfort to the relatives and friends.
Thanks again for your interest, Christine.
Thanks again for your interest, Christine.
