South African Airways Flight 201

South African Airways Flight 201, a de Havilland Comet 1, took off at 18:32 UTC on 8 April 1954 from Ciampino Airport in Rome, Italy, en route to Cairo, Egypt, on the second stage of its flight from London, England to Johannesburg, South Africa. The flight crashed at around 19:07 UTC, killing all on board. The flight was operated as a charter by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) using the aircraft registration G-ALYY ("Yoke Yoke"), with a South African crew of seven, and carrying fourteen passengers.

Flight and disaster

Gerry Bull and other BOAC engineers had examined the aircraft for Flight 201. Previously, on 10 January 1954, the same team had undertaken a preflight inspection of BOAC Flight 781, a Comet that had broken up at altitude. It suffered an explosive decompression and all 35 people on board were killed.

Flight 201 took off from London for Rome at 13:00 UTC on Wednesday 7 April 1954, on the first leg southward to Johannesburg, arriving at Rome approximately two and a half hours later, at 17:35 UTC. On arrival at Rome, engineers discovered some minor faults, including a faulty fuel gauge and 30 loose bolts on the left wing, which delayed the aircraft's departure by 25 hours before Yoke Yoke was ready to depart for Cairo on the evening of Thursday 8 April.

The aircraft took off for Cairo at 18:32 UTC under the command of Captain William Mostert, and climbed rapidly toward its cruising height of 35000 ft. The crew reported over the Ostia beacon at 18:37 UTC, passing through the altitude of 7000 ft. The weather was good, but with an overcast sky.

Another report was made from the aircraft, first at 18:49 UTC at Ponza, where it reported climbing through 11600 ft and another at 18:57 UTC when it reported passing abeam of Naples. At 19:07 UTC, while still climbing, the aircraft contacted Cairo on the long range HF radio and reported an ETA of 21:02 UTC.

This was the last message heard from Yoke Yoke as some time later, the aircraft disintegrated at around 35000 ft, killing everyone on board.

After repeated attempts at regaining contact by both Cairo and Rome air traffic control were made and went unanswered, it was realised that another Comet had been lost. Initial news of the accident was leaked to the press by a German radio station which had been monitoring the radio transmissions.

The New York Times wrote that:

Bull said he found it difficult to accept the fact that the circumstances surrounding the crash of BOAC flight 781 three months earlier had occurred again with the South African Airways flight.