June 7, 2003

Sources: RNZ, Dominion Post via Life Sciences Network

Seven senior staff of the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research have been killed and two seriously injured in a plane crash in Canterbury Friday night.

The chartered Piper Chieftain aircraft went down 6 kilometers short of the Christchurch Airport runway in dense fog about 7.15 p.m.

The plane wreck was found in a gravel quarry on McLean's Island two hours later after searchers heard cries for help from survivors.

While the dead have not yet been named by Police it is clear all three senior women managers on the plane, science manager Desma Hogg, strategy manager Katherine Carman and HR manager Magaret Viles, perished as well as the company's Communications Manager, Howard Bezar.

The pilot was also killed in the crash.

One of the survivors has undergone emergency surgery and is now stable in Christchurch Hospital.

There's no indication of how the crash happened and transport accident investigators have been on the scene since last night.

The managers had chartered the plane to fly to Palmerston North for a national senior management team meeting, one of three face to face meetings held each year. The accident happened on the return
flight.

CEO Paul Tocker was not on the plane and is in Christchurch with grieving staff and families.

More information at http://www.stuff.co.nz/