What happened
On 11 October 1967, the aircraft G-ARCO, a Vickers VC10 (operating as British European Airways flight BE284), departed London-Heathrow for Athens carrying 38 passengers and various cargo. The flight arrived at Athens International Airport in the early hours of 12 October. Following a routine transit, the aircraft was rebranded as Cyprus Airways flight CY 284 for its next leg to Nicosia. During this period, the crew underwent changes, with new cabin staff from Cyprus Airways joining the existing flight deck crew, while 27 additional passengers boarded.
The aircraft was refueled and prepared for departure, with only a minor compass defect noted and subsequently addressed by ground personnel. The flight departed Athens at 0231 hours, climbing to flight level 290. After passing Sounion and Rhodes, the aircraft established contact with Nicosia air traffic control at approximately 0318 hours. However, after receiving an instruction from Nicosia to proceed with its message, no further communication was received from the aircraft.
Following the loss of contact, search efforts were initiated, including a deployment from Akrotiri by R.A.F. Search and Rescue. At 0625 hours, wreckage was located near airway R19C. The accident resulted in 66 fatalities, with no survivors among the passengers or crew.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the aircraft suffered a structural failure in flight. This disintegration was triggered by the detonation of a high explosive device inside the passenger cabin while the plane was cruising at 29,000 feet. The resulting explosion caused severe damage to the airframe, leading to an uncontrollable descent and subsequent breakup at a lower altitude.