On the 2nd of August 1943 at 2.30am, the American C-87 Liberator Express aircraft set off from Whenuapai Aerodrome for Australia only to crash to the ground minutes later. Twelve of its thirty passengers and crew were killed. News of the crash only became public a year later however, largely due to the fact the aircraft was carrying 22 Japanese civilians, including children. These passengers were being repatriated as a part of an intended exchange of Prisoners of War with Japan, eight of whom were killed in the crash.

Occurring soon after the Featherston POW tragedy in February of the same year, it is believed the air crash was covered up out of fear that Japan may retaliate against Allied prisoners if they believed that the air crash was intentionally sabotaged to kill the Japanese aboard. It is said that hospital and crematorium staff were sworn to secrecy after they had performed their duties. However, despite this concern, the cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error due to fatigue. Amongst the casualties were also three American crew members, and three Thai civilians who were also aboard for repatriation. Three months later the surviving internees were sent aboard the TSS “Wahine” to Sydney.

This photograph depicting the scene of the accident was one of the exhibits used in the United States Army Air Forces report of the aircraft accident. This report is a part of a larger file kept on the Whenuapai disaster held by Archives New Zealand as a part of the Department of External Affairs sub series of Allied Prisoners of War and Civilians in Enemy Territory. Archives New Zealand also holds other files on the actions surrounding the accident: the repatriation of Japanese and Thai internees [89/3/17] and the compensation for the loss of effects by Japanese and Thai Nationals in the aircraft accident [89/3/19]

Archives Reference: ACIE 8798 EA1 675/ 89/3/18 1

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