Tragedy as sisters leap to their deaths from plane in suicide pact

The Sunday Post covered the tragic story of two young sisters who died after falling from a plane on this day 86 years ago.

“A rail crash on the Continent held up Mr and Mrs Coert Du Bois on their journey from Naples to Britain where at Upminster their two daughters, Elizabeth and Jane, fell to their death from an airliner,” reported The Post on February 24, 1935.

“Mrs Du Bois was deep in mourning and looked tired and ill. She does not yet know the truth of the fate of her beautiful daughters.”

It transpired that Jane Du Bois was heartbroken by the aircraft death of RAF pilot Charles Forbes, whom she had met just prior to his fatal accident. The 20-yearold Jane and her 23-yearold sister were inseparable and agreed to jump to their deaths, calling the fate of Forbes “the last straw”.

The sisters booked on to a small six-seater plane, where, unbeknown to the pilots, they opened the door mid-flight and jumped out.

The Post continued: “Arising out of the sisters’ death leap, a question on the safety of airliners is to be asked in the House Of Commons. Mr N B Goldie, Warrington, will ask the Minister of Transport whether in order to ensure safety he will take steps to make it compulsory for airliners to carry a steward.”