On 16 July 1960, after taking off from Copenhagen Airport at 15.38 local time, a de Havilland Dragon Rapide plane, (registration OY-DZY) chartered to the Danish Football Association, crashed into the Øresund about 50 metres (160 ft) from shore after the pilot lost control of the aircraft in severe weather. All eight passengers died; the pilot survived but required a leg to be amputated.[1][2]
 A Dragon Rapide similar to the accident aircraft | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 16 July 1960 |
| Summary | Loss of control in severe weather |
| Site | Øresund |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | de Havilland Dragon Rapide |
| Operator | Zonens Redningskorps |
| Flight origin | Copenhagen Airport |
| Destination | Herning Airport |
| Passengers | 8 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Fatalities | 8 |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Survivors | 1 |
Footballers
editThe plane was carrying eight association football players to Herning Airport for a final trial match at Herning stadium to select the Danish squad for the 1960 Olympic tournament.[1] Three of the eight had been provisionally selected for the squad; the rest were B-team and youth internationals with a last chance to impress the selectors.[1]
The dead were:[1]
| Player | Age | Club | Caps | Position | Day-job | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per Funch Jensen | 21 | KB | 4 | Goalkeeper | Butcher | Selected for the Olympics. |
| Erik Pondal Jensen | 29 | AB | 20 | Half-back | Engineer | First reserve for the Olympics. |
| Kurt Krahmer | 21 | KB | 0 (8 youth, 1 B cap) | Winger | Student teacher | |
| Søren Andersen | 23 | Frem | 0 | Striker | Warehouse worker | |
| Børge Bastholm Larsen | 29 | Køge | 11 | Full-back | Customs official | Selected for the Olympics. |
| Arne Karlsen | 20 | KB | 3 | Centre half | Blacksmith's apprentice | Selected for the Olympics. |
| Ib Eskildsen | 19 | Frem | 0 (had youth caps) | Forward | Apprentice mechanic | |
| Erling Spalk | 19 | Ikast | 0 | Centre half | On military service |
Two fishermen found pilot Stig Vindeløv alive in the wreckage, along with Per Funch Jensen, who died en route to hospital.[1]
Second aircraft
editA smaller plane waiting for clearance to take off when the accident occurred was due to carry four other players to the same match: Erik Dyreborg, Hans Christian Andersen, Bent Jørgensen, and Bjarne Eklund.[1] These were all youth players.[1] Dyreborg was demoted from the first plane to make room for a kit basket.[1]
Olympics
editAfter the accident, the Danish FA considered withdrawing from the Olympic tournament.[1] In the event, they won the silver medal, losing to Yugoslavia in the final.[1][3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kleiner, Allan Helleskov; Tommy Heisz (16 July 2010). "I dag er et trist jubilæum for dansk fodbold" (in Danish). Politiken. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ Madsen, Frederik (2009). "7. kapitel: ZR's Flyvetjeneste". Zone-Redningskorpset i Danmark (in Danish). Museum for Zone-Redningskorpset. ISBN 978-979-8191-75-6. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ Organizing Committee of the Games of the XVII Olympiad (1960). The Games of the XVII Olympiad: Rome 1960; Official Report (PDF). Vol. 2. p. 240. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2012-07-31.