Piper Lance had severe technical problems the day before
A man who flew aboard the ill-fated Piper Lance aircraft from, Malta to Djerba a day before the plane disappeared, yesterday described the flight as the worst experience of his life.
Omar Klebb was giving evidence to the board of inquiry set up to investigate the tragedy in which six people are believed to have lost their lives. The Piper Lance left Djerba in Tunisia at around 5am on 3rd December, 1995, with five passengers and the pilot aboard, but never arrived at its destination of Malta International Airport.
Parts of the wreckage and some belongings of those on board have since been found washed up at sea.
Although the board of inquiry was set up soon after the plane disappeared. The last time it met was in August of 1997. In yesterdays sitting, Klebb said he was one of three passengers on the light aircraft, which was piloted by Carmelo Bartolo, the day before the incident.
The flight, Klebb said, had departed late and the weather was not good However, what was more worrying he said was the state of aircraft. At one point during the flight, the aircraft’s control panel went off and the alternator belt developed problems. Klebb said they had continued the flight in the dark, "I had never felt so scared in my whole life." he said. Captain Bartolo, he said, told him that the plane would not be able to make its return flight to Malta if some repairs were not carried out.
When they arrived at the airport in Djerba he and Mike Williams, who took the iii-fated return flight to Malta. Klebb said the two had talked about work, but he never discussed the terrible joumey from Malta to Djerba.
The recording of the conversation between the Tunisian Air traffic Control tower and Captain Bartolo was played yesterday for the first time and showed that contact was lost with the aircraft half an hour after its departure. '
The Board of inquiry is being led by Dr. Philip Sciberras.
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