Emashumini amathathu eminyaka edlule kuleli sonto, iNew Zealand bekuyinqwaba yezinyembezi.
Izwe labhekana nenhlekelele embi kakhulu yomoya eyake yaba khona lapho, ngoNovemba 28, 1979, indiza ye-Air New Zealand endizeni yokubuka indawo phezu kwe-Antarctica ishayisa iNtaba i-Erebus, yabulala bonke abangu-257 ababekuyo.
I-DC10 yalima emithambekeni embozwe yiqhwa ngaphansi kwezimo ezimhlophe ezenza ngisho nentaba engu-3,600m ingabonakali.
Okubi kakhulu, bekuyizingqimba ezimbalwa ngaphezu kwengozi yomoya embi kakhulu yase-Australia, indiza yase-US eyehla e-Bakers Creek, enyakatho yeQueensland ngoJuni 1943, kwashona amasosha angu-40.
Futhi uma kubhekwa inani labantu baseNew Zealand ngeminyaka yawo-1970 ababeyizigidi ezintathu nje kuphela, akumangazi ukuthi cishe wonke umuntu wayazi othile owayesendizeni i-Erebus, noma okungenani wayazi othile owayazi othile endizeni eyayizobhujiswa.
AmaKiwi angamakhulu amabili, amaJapan angama-24, amaMelika angama-22, amaBriton ayisithupha, abaseCanada ababili, owase-Australia, oyedwa waseFrance noyedwa waseSwitzerland.
Usizi lukazwelonke lwalunzima kakhulu kodwa usizi olukhulu lwasheshe lwathathelwa indawo intukuthelo ebabayo njengoba inkampani yezwe yezwe yayiphuthaza ekusebenzelaneni kwayo nezisulu kanye nomphakathi.
Akukho ukwelulekwa okwanikezwa futhi i-Air New Zealand yashesha ukusola umshayeli wayo uJim Collins nethimba lakhe nakuba kwasheshe kwavela ukuthi babengenaphutha.
Esikhundleni salokho, kwaboniswa ukuthi uhlelo lwendiza olubuyekeziwe aluzange ludluliselwe kumshayeli wendiza, okushiya indiza endaweni yokushayisana ne-Erebus.
Inkampani yezindiza iphinde yehluleka izwe ngezinkokhelo zesinxephezelo eziyimfihlo eziphansi ngokudabukisayo emindenini kanye nokuphika okungapheli, njengoba omunye umbiko usola, "inohlelo lokukhohlisa olunqunywe kusengaphambili".
Kodwa ngemuva kweminyaka engu-30 yokulimala, izwe seliqalile ukupholisa amanxeba e-Erebus ngenxa yokuxolisa kwenkampani yezindiza abaningi abakholelwa ukuthi yephuze kakhulu.
Emcimbini ka-Okthoba e-Auckland, umphathi wenkampani uRob Fyfe uvumile ukuthi inkampani yenethiwekhi yenza amaphutha.
“Angikwazi ukulibuyisela iwashi emuva. Angikwazi ukuhlehlisa osekwenziwe, kodwa njengoba ngibheke phambili ngingathanda ukuthatha isinyathelo esilandelayo ohambweni lwethu ngokuthi ngiyaxolisa.
"Ngiyaxolisa kubo bonke labo ... abangazange bakuthole ukwesekwa nozwelo okufanele babe nalo kwa-Air New Zealand."
Bekuyisinyathelo esikhulu esibheke phambili esizweni, esingazange sivumele indiza eyodwa yabavakashi ukuya e-Antarctica isuka eNew Zealand selokhu kwenzeka inhlekelele.
Kodwa ukululama kusesezinyathelweni zengane.
Isinyathelo sesibindi sikasomabhizinisi waseChristchurch sokuqasha indiza yakwaQantas nokudayisela labo abafuna ukuvakashela i-Erebus ngosuku lokugubha iminyaka eminingi sihlangabezane nokugxekwa kanzima.
“Kubukeka kuxakile ukusho kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi kusekude kakhulu,” kusho omunye wesifazane owashonelwa ngunina kule ngozi.
