24th August 1934
Plane is washed into the sea during Jersey take-off
Before the current airport was built, planes serving Jersey landed and took off from the beaches. Thus, seven passengers on a Jersey Airways plane heading for Heston Aerodrome in London were saved by bathers when the aircraft was caught by the rising tide at West Park Beach.
When a particularly ferocious wave swept across one of the wings, it caused the engine to fail. Thus, with nothing to counterbalance it, the other engine swung the plane around, and powered it straight into the sea.
Fortunately, nobody was hurt on this occasion, but several passengers had to be carried ashore. A second aviation incident the very next day had a rather more serious outcome.
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Other events that occured in August
The first aircraft lands in Jersey
- Pilot Jean Benoît landed the first aircraft on Jersey, bringing it down on the beach at St Aubin’s Bay as part of a race from St Malo.
- Read more…
Soldier kills colleague with a scrubbing brush
- When a fight broke out at a Jersey barracks, one of the two men involved ended up being killed, in part by a scrubbing brush.
- Read more…
The telephone line between Jersey and the mainland is inaugurated
- Jersey's phones were connected by a direct line to the mainland in August 1939 via a coaxial cable that landed near Dartmouth.
- Read more…
Gerald Durrell features on Desert Island Discs
- When Jersey Zoo founder Gerald Durrell appeared on the BBC's Desert Island Discs he chose writing materials as his luxury.
- Read more…
