Amsterdam, March 27th 2002

On the 27th of March 2002 it will be 25 years since one of the most serious accidents in the history of international aviation took place at Tenerife. For relatives of the victims and all those who are concerned for and/or feel involved with the victims and the relatives, an assembly will take place consisting of a remembrance and an informal gathering. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines also feels involved and supports this initiative by giving her co-operation to the organisation of this assembly. The Foundation highly values the support of KLM and herewith would like to thank the Airline.

The assembly is explicitly non-public as great importance is placed on the privacy and feelings of all those attending this assembly. People who in general are not acquainted with each other but whom this unites. For this reason an informal gathering will take place afterwards.

There has been a long silence regarding this national tragedy, also brought about by the traumatic after-effects and the deep emotions this tragic accident caused. After a quarter of a century it is strongly felt that now is the time to share, support each other and commemorate our loved ones again, 25 years later.

During the past years, with the accidents that have taken place within aviation and other, more recent events, the relatives of the Tenerife victims have been confronted with memories of that time bringing back strong emotions not only to them but also to the aid workers and others involved. These events reopened old wounds and this is also a reason to take the initiative to commemorate.

In the vision of the Stichting Nabestaanden Slachtoffers Tenerife (Foundation Relatives Victims Tenerife) the remembrance on the 27th of March 2002 is not intended to be a one time stand-alone event. The Foundation plans to initiate several activities in order to commemorate and to aid the healing process. The establishment of the Foundation is an initiative of one of the relatives, Jan Groenewoud, who lost a big part of his family with the Tenerife accident. He is supported in this initiative also by other families of victims.

The advertisement hereunder was published in the Dutch national newspapers of Saturday January 26th. The Foundation and KLM will not seek publicity other than to ensure that all those concerned are informed of the assembly and will be able to react in time.

COMMEMORATION TENERIFE ACCIDENT

On March the 27th of 2002 it will be 25 years since KLM flight 4805 crashed at Tenerife. Relatives of the victims of this flight have taken the initiative to commemorate this tragic event together with KLM. Therefore an assembly will take place on Wednesday the 27th of March for all those concerned with and/or involved with the accident, consisting of a remembrance and an informal gathering.
If you wish to attend the assembly which will commence at approx. 12:00 pm, we kindly ask you to send your response in writing to the address mentioned hereunder, also supplying the information requested below, before the 12th of February 2002:

Herdenking Tenerife
Postbus 222
2100 AE Heemstede

Please supply the following information:
The persons with whom you wish to attend the assembly, and for you all the name, address, telephone number and the relation to the accident of the 27th of March 1977.

Around the 6th of March you will receive an invitation in which the location and the program of the assembly of March the 27th, 2002 are mentioned.

Stichting Nabestaanden Slachtoffers Tenerife
(Foundation Relatives Victims Tenerife)

Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij nv
(KLM Royal Dutch Airlines)
Around the 6th of March all relatives and others involved who have responded will receive a personal invitation in which the location and the program of the assembly are mentioned.

Stichting Nabestaanden Slachtoffers Tenerife
(Foundation Relatives Victims Tenerife)
Postbus 222
NL-2100 AE Heemstede
The Netherlands
© 2007 Foundation Relatives Victims Tenerife, Amsterdam