Scottish nurse is among 35 killed as plane crashes into ground in Libya

An Aberdeenshire nurse, on her way home to be married, was among the 35 people killed in an air crash at Benghazi yesterday,” reported The Post front page on August 10, 1958.

A Central African Airways Corporation Viscount crashed six miles from Benina Airport in Libya, on its way to London. The official casualty list gave 35 killed. Among them were four children, four members of the crew, and 27 other passengers. The Peterhead woman who lost her life was Miss Ethel Shuttleton. Nurse Shuttleton, who had held a nursing job in Rhodesia, was flying home to be married next month.

She was to have been married to Dr Robert G Bruce, Aberdeenshire.”

An accident report into the crash found that the plane had made a CFIT, or controlled descent into terrain, which is defined as an unintentional collision with the ground, water or obstacle. The accident happened as the plane came in to land at Benina Airport, one of a number of stops on its journey. While flying in clouds the pilot descended below a safe altitude, causing the aircraft to crash into high ground.

The reason for the quick descent remains unknown, but it is believed the pilot may have misinterpreted the reading of his altimeter as a result of fatigue.