1949 Dakar Air Crash Cover
The Alitalia AVRO 691 Lancaster 3 plane (registration I-AHBX) was on route from Buenos Aires to Rome when it was forced down at Dakar, Senegal, on 23rd December 1949. The pilot made a safe landing in good weather conditions, but the crew and passengers had to run for their lives from the burning plane. Only part of the mail she was carrying was recovered.
Two cachets used on this recovered mail exist; both are applied in black:
1. 'Corrispondenza recuperata in seguito / incidenta aero dal 23-12-49' - a two line cachet.
2. 'Corrispondenza recuperate / in seguito incidente aero / del 23-12-49' - a three line boxed cachet.
Of great interest to the Senegal and Crash Mail collectors, we are offering in our sale #7190, one of these scarce crash covers, together with its original letter, and an Italian Post Office official envelope used for final delivery of the damaged cover.
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