SHARM EL-SHEIKH, 4 January 2005 — Bereaved families commemorated the first anniversary yesterday of the crash of a Flash Airlines jet into the Red Sea, which killed all 148 people on board, but one year on the cause of the tragedy remains unknown.
Some 40 relatives, both Egyptian and French, made the journey to this resort to remember lost loved ones. A full 134 of the dead were French tourists returning from holiday.
The mournful tones of harps and violins drifted out across the waters of the Red Sea as the bereaved gathered at a makeshift memorial looking out at the crash scene.
A Muslim imam joined Paris airports chaplain Father Tournemine in leading the service, while a priest of Egypt’s Coptic Church joined the congregation.
Annie Chemin, who lost five cousins in the crash, tearfully shared her last memories with fellow mourners.
Ambassador Jean-Claude Cousseran and South Sinai Gov. Gen. Mostafa Afifi laid wreaths on behalf of the French and Egyptian governments before the relatives each took their turn.
Junior foreign minister Renaud Muselier was forced to cancel his attendance after the devastating tsunamis which swept Asia.
A permanent monument had been due to be inaugurated, but was not finished in time so families had to make do with seeing a model. Relatives then took a boat trip out to the crash scene to lay garlands of white roses on the waters.
