Recalling the victims of the Spanair tragedy, an incident that occurred seventeen years ago today.
Gran Canaria Commemorates 17 Years Since the Tragic Spanair Accident
On this day, 17 years ago, the island of Gran Canaria mourned the tragic loss of 154 lives and 18 injuries in the Spanair flight JK5022 crash at Barajas Airport. This accident, which remains the most serious in the history of Spanish aviation, has led to changes in regulations at both national and international levels.
The island commemorated the victims with a series of flower offerings on August 20. The first offering was at 10:30 am at the Luces in the Void Monument in La Puntilla, Las Canteras Beach. Another offering followed at 11:00 am in Plaza de La Memoria in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. In addition, remembrances were held in the municipalities of Ingenio and Telde. In Ingenio, the remembrance was at El Jardín de los Ausentes, in the Barranco de Las Mimosas, while in Telde, the remembrance was at the Monument situated in Ojos de Garza.
The Government, at the proposal of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, declared August 20 as the National Day of Air Crash Victims and Their Families. This year marks the first time this day is being celebrated. The Association of Affected by Flight JK5022 (AVJK5022) has announced activities in Madrid, including an "institutional and symbolic" act.
The Spanair accident was the result of a succession of technical and human failures. A first attempt to take off was aborted due to a malfunction, and in a second attempt, the aircraft did manage to take off but lost control five seconds later. The crew forgot to deploy the flaps and slats, which serve to keep the aircraft in the air, and the alert systems never sounded.
The families of Spanish victims of air crashes have called for memory, respect, and reinforcement of air safety laws. Representatives of air tragedies of Monte Oiz (1985), Mali (2014), French Alps (2015), and Spanair will speak at the act. The Constitutional Court has upheld the ruling of the investigation commission on the Spanair accident, demonstrating the State's commitment to the victims of aviation accidents and their loved ones.
The proposal to declare the National Day of Air Accident Victims and Their Relatives was made by the organization "Vereinigung der Angehörigen von Flugunfallopfern" (Association of Relatives of Air Accident Victims). This day serves as a reminder of the importance of air safety and the need for continued vigilance in the aviation industry.
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