Yesterday morning, with the participation of the relatives of the victims and in the presence of the civil and military authorities of the city of Livorno, the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Meloria plane crash, one of the most dramatic events involving the Armed Forces Italians from the post-war period to today.
On November 9, 1971, a UK Hercules C-130 aircraft carrying 52 paratroopers from the 187th Parachute Regiment thunderbolt and flight crew of the British Royal Air Force, took off from the San Giusto airport of Pisa and headed for the Villacidro board in Sardinia, to carry out a launch in the context of the international exercise "Cold Stream", crashed in the shallows of Meloria, the stretch of sea in front of the city of Livorno.
The commemoration began at the Cigna cemetery with the deposition of a crown and the rendering of honors at the war memorial of "Gesso 4", continued with the celebration of Holy Mass at the Cathedral of San Francesco, Duomo di Livorno, officiated by the military ordinary if Santo Marcianò, which was followed by the deposition of a crown at the Meloria War Memorial in Banditella and a crown in the sea at the exact point where the C-130 sank.
During his speech, the commander of the “Folgore” brigade, Brigadier General Roberto Vergori, in addressing his heartfelt thanks to the relatives of the fallen, underlined how unifying their memory is for our country. Keeping alive the memory of all our Fallen - he specified - is a mission of the highest ethical and moral value, which contributes to the consolidation of a civil conscience and to personal and collective growth.
The commander of the 187th regiment, Colonel Mauro Zandonadi, expressed his gratitude to those present, including the relatives of the British victims with a representation of the Royal Air Force, inviting them to never let the memory and respect for the sacrifice of men who fifty years ago took off on their last mission without returning.
