Erebus victims' families may get help to fly to crash site

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Grieving families who lost relatives in the 1979 Mt Erebus tragedy could get government assistance to travel to the crash site in Antarctica.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday that the Government would consider helping families who would not otherwise get the chance to see where their relatives died. He also signalled that any assistance could involve them landing on the ice, rather than simply flying around the crash zone.

"I know that those families want closure and one way to achieve that is for them to visit Antarctica ... The Government will look at that in the future."

A Hastings woman who lost her father and uncle in the tragedy welcomed Mr Key's comments.

Jackie Nankervis said an offer made by Christchurch businessman Mike Pero this week to charter a Boeing 747 to fly 307 people to Antarctica was poorly considered and "not particularly sensitive", given that memorial services are this weekend. Air New Zealand has also criticised the plan.

Ms Nankervis will attend a memorial service in Auckland tomorrow with 12 other family members. She will be one of hundreds of victims' relatives attending services in Auckland and Christchurch on the 30th anniversary of flight TE901.

Air New Zealand is paying for immediate family members who live far away to fly to the services.

Airline spokesman Mike Tod said he was unsure how many had accepted the airline's offer.

Ms Nankervis was 15 when her father Ian O'Connor and uncle Ronnie Brehaut were among the 257 passengers and crew to perish.

Mr Pero said yesterday his flight was on hold because of problems with Qantas crewing the flight.

"At this stage the best thing I believe that everyone should do is just let the dust settle and address this maybe next week."