Air India Crash
Air India Crash

A Climber is Awarded Gems Found From Air India’s Crashed Plane

Two Air India planes crashed into Mont Blanc in 1950 and in 1966.

Over the years, climbers have routinely found debris, baggage and human remains from the two aircraft.

A Mont Blanc mountaineer has been awarded his share of reward for the jewels he found eight years ago in 2013. He found the gems from the debris of two Air India planes that had crashed on the southwest face of Mont Blanc in 1950 and 1966.

Authorities believe the precious stones are likely to have come from the 1966 flight, which had been en route from Mumbai to New York. The Boeing 707, flying from Mumbai, crashed on the south-west face of Mont Blanc on 24th January 1966.

Two Crashes in a gap of 16 Years

The first crash took place on November 3rd 1950, on the southwest face of the Mont Blanc at an altitude of around 4,700 meters. Mont Blanc, situated at 15,777 feet, is the highest peak in Western Europe. 58 people were killed in the crash. 

According to Wikipedia, the plane operating the flight was a Lockheed L-749A Constellation named Malabar Princess and registered VT-CQP. It was piloted by Captain Alan R. Saint, 34, and co-pilot V. Y. Korgaokar. It was carrying 40 passengers and eight crew on a Bombay-Cairo-Geneva-London route. While over France, descending towards Geneva Airport, the flight crashed into the French Alps, killing all on board.

an airplane on the runway
Photo Source: Wikipedia

Another Air India Boeing 707-437 plane named Kanchenjunga crashed into Mont Blanc on January 24th 1966 at an altitude of around 4,750 meters. The Boeing plane involved was registered VT-DMN. The aircraft was ironically named after the world’s third-highest mountain, Kanchenjunga

The aircraft was operating Air India flight 101 from Mumbai to New York, over multiple stages, when it crashed on its way to Geneva from Beirut, due to a verbal flight control miscommunication, killing all 117 onboard. Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha, regarded as the Father of India’s nuclear program, was one of the casualties. He was also the chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission.

Gem Stone Found by Climber

In 2013, a French mountain climber ascending Mont Blanc found something besides stunning views: a box containing about $340,000 worth of precious stones.

The mountaineer found a bag marked "Made in India" inside a metal box on the ice. He had been hiking when he found sapphires, emeralds and rubies that had been buried in the des Bossons glacier for 55 years. 

Investigators reportedly said that the marking on the bags suggested the jewels had belonged to one of the casualties on the 1966 flight. He had handed the treasure to the police, who then unsuccessfully tried to return the treasure to the rightful owner.

Treasure Shared Among Two Parties

The treasure, valued at around $338,000, was divided equally between the mountaineer and the Chamonix commune, each receiving about $169,000 after no rightful owners were found. The mountaineer received his share of the jewels earlier in December 2021.

After finding the precious jewels and informing the authorities, he claimed that he does not "regret having been honest". However, the mountaineer has wished to remain anonymous.

The Mayor of Chamonix, Eric Fournier, said that the "stones have been shared this week" in two halves valued at around $169,000 each. He thanked the mountaineer for his integrity, saying: 

“I am very happy with the conclusion of this, especially for the finder."

Over the years, multiple climbers and researchers have found remains and wreckage of the Air India Flights 245 and 101. Last year, Indian newspapers from 1966, with headlines about Indira Gandhi becoming the prime minister of India, were reportedly found at the crash site. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi honoured the casualties from the crashes in 2019.

a newspaper with black text
Source: The Guardian

At 15,777 ft, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in western Europe and straddles the border between France and Italy.

Cover Image: Wikipedia/Ralf Manteufel