1960 Danish football air crash

On 16 July 1960, after taking off from Copenhagen Airport at 15.38 local time, a de Havilland Dragon Rapide plane, (registration OY-DZY) chartered to the Danish Football Association, crashed into the Øresund about 50 metres (160 ft) from shore after the pilot lost control of the aircraft in severe weather. All eight passengers died; the pilot survived but required a leg to be amputated.[1][2]

1960 Danish football air crash
A Dragon Rapide similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date16 July 1960
SummaryLoss of control in severe weather
SiteØresund
Aircraft
Aircraft typede Havilland Dragon Rapide
OperatorZonens Redningskorps
Flight originCopenhagen Airport
DestinationHerning Airport
Passengers8
Crew1
Fatalities8
Injuries1
Survivors1

Footballers

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The plane was carrying eight association football players to Herning Airport for a final trial match at Herning stadium to select the Danish squad for the 1960 Olympic tournament.[1] Three of the eight had been provisionally selected for the squad; the rest were B-team and youth internationals with a last chance to impress the selectors.[1]

The dead were:[1]

Player Age Club Caps Position Day-job Notes
Per Funch Jensen 21 KB 4 Goalkeeper Butcher Selected for the Olympics.
Erik Pondal Jensen 29 AB 20 Half-back Engineer First reserve for the Olympics.
Kurt Krahmer 21 KB 0 (8 youth, 1 B cap) Winger Student teacher
Søren Andersen 23 Frem 0 Striker Warehouse worker
Børge Bastholm Larsen 29 Køge 11 Full-back Customs official Selected for the Olympics.
Arne Karlsen 20 KB 3 Centre half Blacksmith's apprentice Selected for the Olympics.
Ib Eskildsen 19 Frem 0 (had youth caps) Forward Apprentice mechanic
Erling Spalk 19 Ikast 0 Centre half On military service

Two fishermen found pilot Stig Vindeløv alive in the wreckage, along with Per Funch Jensen, who died en route to hospital.[1]

Second aircraft

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A smaller plane waiting for clearance to take off when the accident occurred was due to carry four other players to the same match: Erik Dyreborg, Hans Christian Andersen, Bent Jørgensen, and Bjarne Eklund.[1] These were all youth players.[1] Dyreborg was demoted from the first plane to make room for a kit basket.[1]

Olympics

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After the accident, the Danish FA considered withdrawing from the Olympic tournament.[1] In the event, they won the silver medal, losing to Yugoslavia in the final.[1][3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kleiner, Allan Helleskov; Tommy Heisz (16 July 2010). "I dag er et trist jubilæum for dansk fodbold" (in Danish). Politiken. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  2. ^ Madsen, Frederik (2009). "7. kapitel: ZR's Flyvetjeneste". Zone-Redningskorpset i Danmark (in Danish). Museum for Zone-Redningskorpset. ISBN 978-979-8191-75-6. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  3. ^ Organizing Committee of the Games of the XVII Olympiad (1960). The Games of the XVII Olympiad: Rome 1960; Official Report (PDF). Vol. 2. p. 240. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2012-07-31.