Families of Erebus victims concerned, upset by memorial protests

The proposed Erebus memorial design. Photo / Ministry of Culture and Heritage

By RNZ

A man whose mother died in the Mount Erebus plane crash says protests about the proposed memorial are deeply upsetting and tarnish the occasion.

Today is the 42nd anniversary of the plane crash in Antarctica, in which 257 people on board were killed.

A memorial in Auckland's Parnell Gardens was being built, but some nearby residents said they didn't want something "sad" in the park. In February, protesters occupied the proposed memorial site and prevented work from starting for more than 200 days.

The protests were led by Māori community leader Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish, who says the site is culturally significant and has nothing to do with the Erebus disaster.

However, mana whenua Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei had expressed its full support for the memorial and detailed its extensive involvement in the process.

Site preparation began in October.

David Ling, whose mother died in the crash, said he had experienced 40 years of difficulty and trauma.

He said the protesters had exacerbated that, and their actions might further hurt the families.

"One of the things I will be thinking about is I dread what antics they may get up to further upset the families," he said

Ling said his mother used to visit the gardens.

Air New Zealand flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica on November 28, 1979.
All 257 people on board were killed, leaving their families and a nation bereft.

It remains the worst civil accident in New Zealand's history.