Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
Time:5 February, 2012
1ZB 1958
Durham Lane Studio - 1ZB control room, Auckland, 1958. .
Erebus Disaster
- John Blumsky Report One
- John Blumsky's first report from a telephone booth at the ice. (duration: 1′08″)
- John Blumsky Report Two
- John Blumsky describes the crash scene. (duration: 0′49″)
- John Blumsky Report Three
- John Blumsky updates listeners on the salvage operations. (duration: 0′44″)
- John Blumsky Report Four
- Work at Scott Base is suspended, as there is a planned flight from McMurdo to the South Pole to mark the 50th anniversary of the first flight over the South Pole in 1929 by Admiral R.E. Byrd. . (duration: 0′54″)
- John Blumsky receives radio award, 1979
- In 1979 John Blumsky received a New Zealand Radio Award for Outstanding Journalism for his reports from Antarctica for Radio New Zealand. (duration: 1′24″)
- Checkpoint programme, 29 November 1979
- Radio New Zealand news programme Checkpoint features extensive coverage from the Erebus disaster. (duration: 18′01″)
- John Blumsky returns from the ice
- John Blumsky is interviewed about being down in the Antarctic to cover the DC 10 crash at Mount Erebus. He talks about all the details and difficulties with the disaster. (duration: 14′32″)
- Morning Report from 29 November, 1979
- This is the first half of Morning Report from 7.00am to 7.30am which mainly outlines the Mount Erebus disaster.
Programme listing:
1) Craig Saxton - announcement of the loss of plane.
2) Wilson Owen - report from Auckland.
3) Mark Benney - at Auckland Airport 10.00pm.
4) John Blumsky - report from Christchurch, calls from all over the world, Deep Freeze involvement, the pilot of plane who last talked to DC10 and Al (?) on the Starlifter which searched the area.
5) Wayne Brittenden - Japanese Travel Conference - actuality of announcement.
6) News and Weather.
7) Blair Peach - inquest into death.
8) Rhodesia.
9) Abbotsford - the Commission Of Inquiry into its 9th day.
10) Erebus - no sign of survivors.
11) Morrie Davis - announcement that the"wreckage has been sighted".
12) Bob Thompson - DSIR head describes the wreckage.
13) Mike Thatcher - from Antarctica - Hercules has spotted the wreckage.
14) Dee Kirby - report from Christchurch - Deep Freeze attitude to tourist flights.
15) DC10 - sorry accident record - list of accidents.
16) Queen's message of sympathy. (duration: 30′41″)
To search for more Erebus audio on this site, search the archive databases.
TVNZ cameraman Fran Kazukaitis (above right) who accompanied Radio New Zealand journalist John Blumsky (above left) on a nine day trip to Antarctica to cover the Erebus tragedy. (From the Sound Archives photographic collection.)
About John Blumsky
John Blumsky, former Senior Journalist, Radio New Zealand in Antarctica to cover the Erebus crash in 1979. John was the only broadcast journalist sent to Antarctica to cover the disaster for the world media. The reports, which were telephoned from the ice, include news on body recovery, salvage operations, strain at Scott Base and a description of the crash scene. His reports reached listeners first (television footage, though evident, was slow in reaching screens as it had to be flown back from the ice).
The photo is from the Sound Archives photographic collection.
More Information
In 2009 New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association compiled comprehensive information on the 1979 Erebus tragedy. This can be viewed at www.nzalpa.org.nz
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