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Donna Marsh - Source: ONE News -
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The families of five men killed during an Air New Zealand test flight last year are gathering in France for the first anniversary of the crash.
The Airbus A320 went down in the Mediterranean Sea, near the city of Perpignan, with seven on board.
The plane had just been repainted in Air New Zealand colours and was on a one-hour test flight when it suddenly nosedived, without a mayday, and crashed.
French authorities spent days scouring the crash site for clues and recovered the black box and bodies of the five New Zealanders and two Germans on board.
Donna Marsh, the sister of Noel Marsh who was one of the five Kiwis on board, travelled to France again a year after the crash.
She says the visit is a closure for what has been a horrible year for the family.
One year ago, Marsh had stood watching the rescue effort from the beach and the families are visiting one year later to unveil a memorial.
Marsh says she has started learning the local language for a very special reason.
"It's very important to me to be able to look them in the eye and say thank you from the bottom of my heart."
It is also chance to build new friendships with the people who helped bring her brother home.
Watch 6pm news tomorrow when ONE News will cross live to reporter Melissa Stokes in Perpignan, when the families of the victims will officially thank locals for their help.
