Disappearance and Crash
On the evening of the accident, a BOAC-owned aircraft operated by South African Airways (SAA) with an SAA crew under flight number SA201 departed Rome-Ciampino Airport at 1932 local time, after a 25-minute delay due to a technical problem. The flight had an estimated time of arrival at Cairo Airport of 2220 local time. While cruising at an estimated altitude of 35,000 feet off the Italian coast, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens at 2004 local time and subsequently crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea, approximately 17 kilometers off San Lucido.
Search and Recovery
Search and rescue operations were quickly dispatched but were eventually suspended a few days later, as no trace of the aircraft or its 21 occupants was found.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that, owing to the absence of wreckage, they were unable to form a definite opinion on the cause of the accident near Naples. However, they drew attention to the fact that the explanation offered for the accident at Elba appeared to be applicable to that at Naples.