NI survivors and families remembering Kegworth air disaster 30 years on

They will be attending a special service in the Midlands village

Author: Nigel GouldPublished 8th Jan 2019
Last updated 8th Jan 2019

Families of the 29 passengers from Northern Ireland who died in the Kegworth air crash will be attending a memorial service later today (Tuesday) to mark the disaster’s 30th anniversary

They will join local survivors in remembrance at St Andrew’s Church in the Midlands village

The Belfast-bound British Midland Boeing 737 crashed on an embankment of the M1 at Kegworth after suffering engine trouble on the night of January 8 1989.

A total of 47 passengers died with 74 seriously injured. A number were left with life-changing injuries

Kegworth villagers joining emergency services to help tend the wounded.

Survivors, the families of those who died as well as emergency service personnel who tended to the casualties have been invited.

The plane developed a problem with one of the engines as it was en route from Heathrow to Belfast with 126 people on board.

The flight was diverted to East Midlands Airport, and it later transpired that when the trouble occurred the pilots had shut down the wrong engine.

Crashing on to the M1, the plane somehow managed to avoid hitting any vehicles and no-one on the motorway was hurt.