Talia Airways new memorial at Buffavento Castle has Names Added

Editors Note:

It’s so refreshing to receive good news and in the past days, I received a message saying there were plans to place missing names on the Talia Airways Air Crash Memorial near Buffavento Castle and then I received another message with a photo showing the names had now been added which is great and at last gives closure to the families of those lovely ladies who lost their lives and had remained unrecognised until today 27th February 2023 which is the 35 years anniversary of the air crash.

Readers mail ….
From Oz Orman ….

Dear Chris and Margaret,

How are you? I hope you are well. I would like to bring to your attention and that of your readers of CyprusScene an issue close to my heart. Last year, you featured one of my videos highlighting the Talia Airways plane crash in Northern Cyprus in February 1988 “Videos about Talia Airways crash and also 2 great footballers“. I was last in Cyprus in 2019, pre Covid and visited the crash site near Buffavento Castle. On my previous visit a few years earlier, I noticed that the original memorial in the castle’s car park had been vandalised. Fortunately, there was a new one in its place, but with one disappointing omission.

There was no mention of the two British stewardesses, Sharon Simcock and Andrea Pegg on the memorial. Subsequently I made contact with Christopher Fairchild, who was the airlines operating manager at the time. He was responsible for helping put together the original memorial with the help of Sharon’s parents. I also made contact with Andrea’s sister in Bournemouth regarding the memorial and further research.

The stewardesses’ families and Christopher were amiss as to why their colleagues and families names were missing from the new memorial. I was hoping it was an oversight and that both Sharon’s and Andrea’s names would be included alongside that of the Turkish and Yugoslav personnel on the ill-fated flight. I have seen various pictures of the memorial since then and asked Margaret Ray of the K.A.R. to see if the memorial had been updated this year. Her colleague ventured to the site and sent photos in the summer, which again showed no mention of the two British stewardesses.

This time I knew I had to act and I am hoping that through your contacts in the North that this issue can be resolved. I did initially write to the T.R.N.C. embassy in London, the Friends of Northern Cyprus Parliamentary Group and my local MP, Iain Duncan Smith, who claims to support Turkish Cypriot actions regarding direct flights to the North. Unfortunately I have not heard anything back from any of them and you are my last hope of getting this memorial completed. There was also no correspondence from the president’s office in the T.R.N.C.

Sharon’s mum is currently living in a care home in Lytham St Annes, but is frail and elderly. Sharon’s dad passed away, as has Andrea’s. Andrea’s remaining family still live in the Bournemouth area and both families are aware of the current situation of the memorial and are extremely saddened by it.

Therefore, could you please highlight this issue and hopefully get it resolved. I am well aware of the slow nature of things getting done in Northern Cyprus, but it would be fitting to finally resolve this matter. If you or any of your colleagues could venture to Buffavento Castle’s car park first hand and report on the update of the memorial that would be appreciated. My colleague and I would like to make another video regarding the completed memorial, which we would like to feature on your CyprusScene website.

I know this might be considered a tall order, but I’m sure you and your colleagues could help. Please let me know what you think. The families, Chris and I would really appreciate it.