| Crash site | Oran-Es Senia, Algeria |
| Airline | Sabena |
| Aircraft | Sabca Savoia-Marchetti S.73P – OO-AGR |
| Route | Elisabethville – Gao – Aguelhok – Reggane – Colomb-Béchar – Oran – Brussels |
| Crew | 4 – 0 survivors |
| Passengers | 8 – 0 survivors |
The crash
The airplane was on a flight from Elisabethville, Belgian Congo to Brussels, Belgium.
The plane departed Colomb-Béchar at 15:10 LT on the leg to Oran. On approach to Oran-Es Senia Airport, while flying at a height of some 2,500 feet below the clouds, the plane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed 10 km south of the airport.
The airplane was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
The investigation committee did not find the cause, but weather conditions and engine problems were ruled out.
The mail
The mail was recovered and arrived in Europe a few days later.
The most common crash marking is the red 3-line handstamp shown below which was used in Oran, Algeria. On arrival in Europe many different marking were used including manuscript notes.
Only one Nordic item is known to me.
A.
3-line handstamp.
Red.
Size: 52 x 18 mm.
Examples of mail
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Registered cover from Belgian Congo postmarked LEOPOLDVILLE 22.1.37 and addressed to Aarhus, Denmark with crash handstamps type A on front and back. On the back is a transit postmark used at Copenhagen Airport dated 30.2.37 (wrong month) and an arrival postmark AARHUS 31.1.37. |
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