Don’t pull WW2 plane from lake with grabber, Dutch told

PLANS to pull a Second World War RAF bomber from a lake using a crane grabber are “destructive” and run the risk of losing the identities of its crew members, according to observers.

The Short Stirling bomber, which crashed in the Netherlands after returning from a 1943 raid on Germany, had been based at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk.

It was found earlier this year submerged in Lake Markermeer, near Amsterdam. The remains of the crew are thought to be still on board.

Rick Brooks, an aviation enthusiast, voiced concerns that the Dutch authorities could use a crane, something he likened to an arcade “machine where you grab a teddy”, to lift the four-engined bomber.

Previously when wartime aircraft have been recovered from rivers or lakes, a cofferdam has been used to pump the water out, leaving a dry area of land for reclamation so the site could be properly excavated and the remains of the crew removed with dignity. But Mr Brooks, who has been in contact with teams involved in recovery operations in the Netherlands, said he believed that Almere council had been looking at a more cost-effective method.

The Kent-based expert, who has been involved in previous operations to recover aircraft, said to respect the memory of the seven-man crew the bomber should be properly excavated.

He explained that a grabber would be “destructive” and leave behind body parts or “small items like a wedding ring or a watch”, which could be used to identify the remains.

According to Almere city council, the recovery method is yet to be determined.

“Care and respect are first priority, both towards relatives and in the method of recovery as decided by the (Dutch) Ministry of Defence,” the council stated.

“We will soon announce the chosen method of recovery and the start date of the recovery process.”