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The historic flight carrying family members of the Erebus disaster victims has arrived safely in Antarctica - Source: ONE News -
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The historic flight carrying family members of the Erebus disaster victims arrived safely in Antarctica on Friday afternoon.
The flight set off from Christchurch on Friday morning, carrying six relatives of those killed in New Zealand's worst air disaster.
ONE News reporter Vicky Wilkinson Baker, who has been at Scott Base all week in preparation for the arrival, says the relatives have been blown away with the scenery, but have mixed emotions.
The plane flew into McMurdo Sound, landing at around 3pm and the family members were then taken to Scott Base.
The group have flown nearly 4,000 kilometres together, six people who had never met until this week.
The 40 minute flight to the Erebus crash site from Scott base, departed shortly after 6pm.
The wreckage of the Air NZ plane is still scattered up the side of Mount Erebus but is covered in snow for much of the year.
It was visible five years ago, but no one knows whether it will be seen this time.
Senior Antarctica New Zealand representative Ian Miller says the family members took part in a one hour safety briefing upon arrival.
It is 30 years on Saturday since an Air New Zealand DC10 crashed into Mount Erebus, killing all 257 passengers and crew on board.
It is the first time relatives have been able to visit the site since the accident on November 28, 1979, and some of the bodies were never recovered.
Air New Zealand is also planning services in Auckland and Christchurch to mark the anniversary.
