I posted this earlier on another memorial site. The reason Aug 9th is Canadian Peacekeeper Day. United Nations Flight 51 On August 9, 1974, UN Flight 51 was crewed by Captain George Gary Foster (Pilot), Captain Keith Mirau (First Officer), Captain Robert Wicks (Navigator), Master Corporal Ronald Spencer (Flight Engineer), and Corporal Bruce Stringer (Loadmaster). Also on board were four passengers: MWO Gaston Landry, MWO Cyril Korejwo, Corporal Michael Simpson, and Corporal Morris Kennington. The flight from Beirut to Ismailia proceeded normally. After taking off from Ismailia, passage through Lebanon was also normal and at 0945GMT, UN Flight 51 first contacted Damascus air traffic control center (ATCC). Five minutes later, after receiving clearance to Damascus VOR, the last recorded transmission from Flight 51 to Damascus ATCC reportedly by Captain Mirau, was heard “Roger we are cleared to Damascus VOR to maintain 8000 cross Mike Echo Zulu at 10000 or above.” As the Buffalo crossed into Syria at 11000’ ASL (about 6000’ above ground level), a surface to air missile was fired at the Buffalo from a Syrian airfield located 14 miles from the Lebanese border. Shortly after, the Buffalo was seen in a controlled descent smoking from the tail. A couple of minutes after the first missile attack, when the Buffalo was 8 miles into Syrian airspace and less than 1000’ above ground level, two more missiles were fired at the Buffalo. The first appeared to strike the left wing causing it to burn and the descent to increase. Just above the ground, the last missile hit the cabin area and destroyed the aircraft, scattering wreckage near the town of Ad Dimas in Syria, and killing all nine passengers and crew on board.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 02:45:32 +0000
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