SAETA Flight 011 (1976)
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{{Infobox aircraft occurrence |
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| name = SAETA Flight 011 |
| name = SAETA Flight 011 |
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| date = 15 August 1976 |
| date = 15 August 1976 |
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| tail_number = HC-ARS |
| tail_number = HC-ARS |
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'''SAETA Flight 011''' was a scheduled passenger flight operated by [[SAETA|SAETA Air Ecuador]] between [[Quito]] and [[Cuenca, Ecuador|Cuenca]], using a [[Vickers Viscount]] [[Vickers Viscount variants|785D]] aircraft. On 15 August 1976, the flight was reported missing near the [[Chimborazo (volcano)|Chimborazo]] [[stratovolcano]] while carrying 55 passengers and four crew members. Searches for the plane would be carried out for 26 years, until the wreckage of the aircraft was officially located in February 2003. |
'''SAETA Flight 011''' was a scheduled passenger flight operated by [[SAETA|SAETA Air Ecuador]] between [[Quito]] and [[Cuenca, Ecuador|Cuenca]], using a [[Vickers Viscount]] [[Vickers Viscount variants|785D]] aircraft. On 15 August 1976, the flight was reported missing near the [[Chimborazo (volcano)|Chimborazo]] [[stratovolcano]] while carrying 55 passengers and four crew members. Searches for the plane would be carried out for 26 years, until the wreckage of the aircraft was officially located in February 2003. |
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The pilot's last contact with the control tower took place over the city of [[Ambato, Ecuador|Ambato]]. As a result of the remote location of the accident site, the wreckage was hidden below the glacier of Chimborazo, making location of the plane prohibitively difficult. The place of impact was declared a graveyard, and the remains were not recovered. This led to intense speculation over the cause of the disappearance, including rumors of a potential [[Aircraft hijacking|hijacking]],{{cite news |author=UPI |date=12 September 1976 |title=After a month, plane still missing |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m0JPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6576,4765181&dq=chimborazo+wreckage&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530234840/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m0JPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6576,4765181&dq=chimborazo+wreckage&hl=en |archive-date=30 May 2016 |access-date=25 September 2016 |work=Ellensburg Daily Record |location=Quito, Ecuador |page=5}} as well as some controversy when the wreckage was located. |
The pilot's last contact with the control tower took place over the city of [[Ambato, Ecuador|Ambato]]. As a result of the remote location of the accident site, the wreckage was hidden below the glacier of Chimborazo, making location of the plane prohibitively difficult. The place of impact was declared a graveyard, and the remains were not recovered. This led to intense speculation over the cause of the disappearance, including rumors of a potential [[Aircraft hijacking|hijacking]],{{cite news |author=UPI |date=12 September 1976 |title=After a month, plane still missing |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m0JPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6576,4765181&dq=chimborazo+wreckage&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530234840/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m0JPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6576,4765181&dq=chimborazo+wreckage&hl=en |archive-date=30 May 2016 |access-date=25 September 2016 |work=Ellensburg Daily Record |location=Quito, Ecuador |page=5}} as well as some controversy when the wreckage was located. |
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== Discovery == |
== Discovery == |
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{{More citations needed section|date=May 2025}} |
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2025}} |
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After unsuccessful searches for the remains of the aircraft (both by air and on land) in the area of the route towards Cuenca and other places like the Ozogoche area, south of the Chimborazo province, in the Ecuadorian coast and the Ecuadorian East, neither the plane nor its occupants could be found. Relatives of the victims sought supernatural explanations and asked for the help of psychics; some even hinted at the theory of alien abduction. The search was terminated without finding a single trace. |
After unsuccessful searches for the remains of the aircraft (both by air and on land) in the area of the route towards Cuenca and other places like the Ozogoche area, south of the Chimborazo province, in the Ecuadorian coast and the Ecuadorian East, neither the plane nor its occupants could be found. Relatives of the victims sought supernatural explanations and asked for the help of psychics; some even hinted at the theory of alien abduction. The search was terminated without finding a single trace. |
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In October 2002, 26 years after the accident, mountaineers Pablo Chíquiza and Flavio Armas ascended a nearly unexplored face of the snowy mountain. On the second day of search they ran into the remains of the plane at 5,550 meters. Impressed by such a finding, they took samples of the cans and newspapers that, in spite of the past 26 years, were still legible. They continued up the mountain, but after climbing several additional meters, they decided to turn around to stay overnight with the remains. On the third day, they descended down the mountain. |
In October 2002, 26 years after the accident, mountaineers Pablo Chíquiza and Flavio Armas ascended a nearly unexplored face of the snowy mountain. On the second day of search they ran into the remains of the plane at 5,550 meters. Impressed by such a finding, they took samples of the cans and newspapers that, in spite of the past 26 years, were still legible. They continued up the mountain, but after climbing several additional meters, they decided to turn around to stay overnight with the remains. On the third day, they descended down the mountain. |
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Months later, on 14 February 2003, widespread news of the plane's discovery by mountaineer Miguel Cazar, who was interviewed by [[Teleamazonas]], revealed that they had seen both metal and human remains in the [[Gabriel García Moreno|García Moreno]] glacier of the Chimborazo volcano. The mountaineers and discoverers, Chíquiza and Armas, accompanied by soldiers from Ecuador's "Special Forces 9th Brigade" ({{Langx|es|Brigada de Fuerzas Especiales N°9 Patria}}), arrived at the volcano to mark the exact site where they found the remains of the plane. |
Months later, on 14 February 2003, widespread news of the plane's discovery by mountaineer Miguel Cazar, who was interviewed by [[Teleamazonas]], revealed that they had seen both metal and human remains in the [[Gabriel García Moreno|García Moreno]] glacier of the Chimborazo volcano. The mountaineers and discoverers, Chíquiza and Armas, accompanied by soldiers from Ecuador's "Special Forces 9th Brigade" ({{Langx|es|Brigada de Fuerzas Especiales N°9 Patria}}), arrived at the volcano to mark the exact site where they found the remains of the plane. |
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After reading the newspapers of the time and confirming with a document from the [[Dirección General de Aviación Civil (Ecuador)|General Civil Aviation Directorate]] (DAC) obtained by retired Major Galo Arrieta, they concluded that the plane still had not been found. Arrieta established contact with Pablo Chíquiza during the two days of discovery and promised to help them with the investigation, as well as the subsequent broadcast of the discovery, as long as the first to hear of the news was then-elected [[President of Ecuador|President]] [[Lucio Gutiérrez]].{{Cite web |date=2003-02-21 |title=Ministro de Defensa y Galo Arrieta |trans-title=Minister of Defense and Galo Arrieta |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2003/02/21/0001/12/F1BCC8B7CE6D4388AC4CF6F72A8F2754.html |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=El Universo |language=es |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410085140/https://www.eluniverso.com/2003/02/21/0001/12/F1BCC8B7CE6D4388AC4CF6F72A8F2754.html |url-status=live }} |
After reading the newspapers of the time and confirming with a document from the [[Dirección General de Aviación Civil (Ecuador)|General Civil Aviation Directorate]] (DAC) obtained by retired Major Galo Arrieta, they concluded that the plane still had not been found. Arrieta established contact with Pablo Chíquiza during the two days of discovery and promised to help them with the investigation, as well as the subsequent broadcast of the discovery, as long as the first to hear of the news was then-elected [[President of Ecuador|President]] [[Lucio Gutiérrez]].{{Cite web |date=2003-02-21 |title=Ministro de Defensa y Galo Arrieta |trans-title=Minister of Defense and Galo Arrieta |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2003/02/21/0001/12/F1BCC8B7CE6D4388AC4CF6F72A8F2754.html |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=El Universo |language=es |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410085140/https://www.eluniverso.com/2003/02/21/0001/12/F1BCC8B7CE6D4388AC4CF6F72A8F2754.html |url-status=live }} |
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Therefore, on 23 December of the same year, Chíquiza and Armas ventured back up to the Chimborazo, this time specifically looking for evidence such as personal artifacts or aircraft identifiers that could verify the presumed identity of the flight. At the discretion of the climbers, the search for human remains was laborious. Nevertheless, in spite of the snow that covered the area of the accident, they succeeded in finding the identification document of one of the passengers. With the said document, they believed their search was sufficient and descended the mountain. |
Therefore, on 23 December of the same year, Chíquiza and Armas ventured back up to the Chimborazo, this time specifically looking for evidence such as personal artifacts or aircraft identifiers that could verify the presumed identity of the flight. At the discretion of the climbers, the search for human remains was laborious. Nevertheless, in spite of the snow that covered the area of the accident, they succeeded in finding the identification document of one of the passengers. With the said document, they believed their search was sufficient and descended the mountain. |
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{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1976}} |
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1976}} |
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{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Ecuador}} |
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Ecuador}} |
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{{Coord missing|Ecuador}} |
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[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1976]] |
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1976]] |
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[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Vickers Viscount]] |
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Vickers Viscount]] |
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[[Category:SAETA accidents and incidents|232]] |
[[Category:SAETA accidents and incidents|232]] |
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[[Category:1976 in Ecuador]] |
[[Category:1976 in Ecuador]] |
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[[Category:1976 disasters in Ecuador]] |
[[Category:1976 disasters in Ecuador]] |
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[[Category:August 1976 in North America]] |
[[Category:August 1976 in North America]] |
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