Evening Post Wed April 11^th 1973

The first Bristol survivor to return home from the Swiss air disaster told today of the nightmare ordeal. Mr. Barry Jones, of The Paddock House, Ivywell Road, Sneyd Park, was one of the passengers in the tail section of the aircraft and escaped with only scratches. “T am extremely lucky to be alive, but my heart goes out to those villages who have been robbed of their young wives and mothers,’ he said. 

Mr. Jones, headmaster Avonhurst School, OI booked for the trip Clifton, spur of the moment. on the 6.6 I originally thought of going to Venice since I had some free time during the school holiday, this trip but I saw advertised with only a few seats left. “The first thing we knew that something was wrong was when the aircraft circled for half-an-hour. almost in “Visibility was a dense blizzard. nil Sud- denly the aircraft climbed at a sharp angle as moun- tains and trees loomed up. “There was no time to be frightened because it pened SO quickly. all hap- “One second wie were climbing and the next thing was a crash and a roar as the plane hit trees and over- turned.” Mr. Jones said he was left hanging upside down held by his safety belt. 

Father who was too busy 

Mr. Keith Batt, a Fishponds carpet retailer, gave up a ticket on the fated plane because of business commitments. And today he said he was afraid that his 17-year-old daughter Jennifer, who had taken his place, might be among the victims, together with his wife Betty (41). Mr. Batt. of Waterford Close, Thornbury, said: “They went with the Congresbury ladies’ skittles team because my wife’s sister, Beryl, used to organise it.” help Jennifer attends Marl- wood School, Alveston, and Mr. and Mrs. Batt have three other children Timothy (14), Michael (6) and Jane (1).

Mr. Batt said two of his four brothers, David, a Metropolitan police officer, and William Leonard, who runs a post office at Brighton. were to Basle today. flying