Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has apologised "wholeheartedly" to the families of the 257 people lost in the Erebus disaster in a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the flight.
Both the Government, which was in full ownership of Air New Zealand at the time, and the airline itself have unequivocally apologised at a ceremony for at Government House in Auckland today where almost 500 families members of Erebus victims were gathered.
In 1979 Francis Mortimer worked at Air New Zealand and he shares his memories of 40 years ago, in the days before and after the Erebus tragedy.
For more on the Erebus Tragedy check out White Silence - a podcast by RNZ and Stuff which details the entire story and aftermath
The poster advertising the Antarctic flights and their dates in November 1979 Photo: supplied
