What happened
While operating a mission to provide assistance to an RAF Halifax crew that had diverted to Lisbon, a flight traveling from Gibraltar encountered deteriorating weather conditions over the Atlantic Ocean. The pilot initially attempted to divert the aircraft to Tangiers, but subsequently changed course toward Cadix.
As the aircraft ran low on fuel, the pilot was forced to perform a ditching approximately 56 km south of Cadix. Before the impact with the water and the subsequent sinking of the plane, the radio operator managed to transmit a short distress message. Following the ditching, five individuals—comprising the three crew members and two passengers—successfully reached safety in a life raft. However, one passenger did not survive the incident and drowned.
Findings
- The primary factor leading to the accident was fuel exhaustion caused by the necessity of diverting due to adverse weather conditions.