Five locals and a pilot left on the Cessna 206, destined for Normanton for a land council meeting to discuss a mooring buoy on Kaiadilt country, with extremely unfavourable weather conditions. 

Nelson Gavenor, 63, Andrew Marmies, 60, Olive Loogatha, 46, Graham Wilson , 34, Gavin Wilson, 19 and Captain Andrew Anthonisz, 21, died sometime between take-off and noon. 

Delma Loogatha explains how she received a phone call from Normanton to ask if the plane took off earlier that day, as it had not landed: “The weather was horrific, my mum boarded that plane and there is no way it should’ve ever left the airport – you couldn’t see the end of the runway it was that stormy.” 

Mornington Shire Councillor Roberta Felton recalls that fateful day as a huge loss of knowledge, as those that died were leaders, spoke the language and had a wealth of cultural knowledge for the island’s peoples.

 “I was meant to get on that plane – I said no way that weather is too wild, but our loved ones, being strong willed to succeed, got on board,’’ Cr Felton said.  

“They worked hard for our rights and we owe them a lot, they were full of promise, full of knowledge and our community really suffered for their loss – each of them lit up our lives and were destined for greatness.”

Mornington Shire Mayor Brad Wilson, who also lost family in the crash, said while the memorial day was one of sorrow, it was also to celebrate the lives of those lost.