My family were living in Ethiopia from 1970 until 1972. For us ex-patriot children, it was a blissful life, although this was not the case for so many Ethiopians. The only blight for my family and many others, was that my two older sisters Jane and Caroline, went to boarding school in England and so we lived a life of joyous reunions, rapidly replaced by an ever increasing sense of dread, about their approaching departure.
On the 18th April, Jane was 14, Caroline 12 and I was eight. After an early morning ride on our horses; and their recording the goodbye message for us, that they traditionally did, we set off for the airport and waved them off onto the doomed plane.
My mother has written about what happened next and I spoke about it, in an interview for the BBC in April 2021. Jane was killed almost immediately, and Caroline, who was found outside the burning plane by my father, died from her injuries on the 22nd April, back in the UK.
Every person connected with that terrible event, has their own memory and experience, branded forever in their minds, whether or not they were present at the airport, or going through the agonising wait for information from far away, in the days before our instant communications. Many have shared these stories with me and also told me about the brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, in-laws and friends, that they lost. There have been extraordinary stories of bravery and courage, from survivors; and there have also been details of my sisters’ lives and those of other victims, from school and other friends, providing lovely stories of the part of their lives we didn’t know.
The gap they left and the immensity of their loss, has been ever present down the years. My parents and I had to give up our way of life and return to live in England, a country we didn’t know at all and which was cold in every way. Fifty years on, it is only my mother and I left with our family memories, but we built a new life and have had many good times and positive things, while never forgetting and so often thinking of Jane and Caro.
Connecting with so many others linked to the 18th April has been a truly cathartic and inspiring experience; opened up wonderful new, mostly virtual, but nevertheless greatly valued friendships and removed a sense of isolation. I hope we will find more people and enable them to remember their lost relatives and friends.
Harrietwareaustin1964@gmail.com