1945 Avro York crash

1945 Avro York crash Accident File:Avro York (15954416947).jpg An Avro York of the Royal Air Force, similar to the accident aircraft 1945 02 01 y at 17:15Z Ditched due to lack of fuel Mediterranean Sea between Lampedusa and Malta 35 30 0 N 12 35 0 E type:event inline,title Avro York No. 511 Squadron RAF MW116 RAF Lyneham RAF Luqa Yalta 11 4 15 0 On 1 February 1945 an Avro York carrying members of the British delegation to the Yalta Conference crashed off the Italian island of Lampedusa. During the flight to Yalta, undertaken during nighttime, the crew became unsure of their position due to a navigation radio malfunction. The aircraft ended up over Lampedusa and circled for approximately one hour as crew members attempted to verify their position. The crew eventually determined the proper course to Malta but by then the aircraft lacked the fuel to cover the distance. During an attempted ditching the Avro crashed into the sea, killing all four crew and 11 passengers. Some sources state there were four survivors.Crash of an Avero 685 York I off Lampedusa: 15 killed https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-avro-685-york-i-lampedusa-15-killed www.baaa-acro.com Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A) 12 March 2020ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 26901 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/26901 Aviation Safety The aircraft crew consisted of Warrant Officer William Wright, Leading Aircraftman John Chicken - wireless operator, Flight Sergeant Alfred Claude Jack Walker – flight engineer and Flying Officer Arthur Applebey – air gunner. The results of the accident investigation were reported to Parliament by Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair. He stated in part, that the air crew had sufficient experience but had never previously flown together as a crew. Six victims of the crash were buried at Imtarfa Military Cemetery in Malta. Some of the CWGC graves are damaged due to bombing of a nearby airfield in the Second World War.Imtarfa Military Cemetery https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/11206/imtarfa-military-cemetery/ Commonwealth War Graves Commission Wright is buried in the Medjez-el-Bab War Cemetery in Tunisia.Warrant Officer (Wireless Operator (Air)) WRIGHT, WILLIAM https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2813737/WRIGHT,%20WILLIAM Commonwealth War Graves Commission References Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Italy Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Avro York Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1945 Category:1945 in Italy Category:February 1945 in Europe Category:Accidents and incidents involving Royal Air Force aircraft Category:1940s disasters in Italy Category:1945 disasters in Europe