Salvaged Mail of 1953 Comet crash
This cover appeared in ebay a while back, and won by a fellow Sabahan collector. As the ending time got nearer, the bid prices also soared to a final price that's hard to imagine. It is basically an airmail cover from Sandakan to Glasgow, Scotland bearing two 8 cents and two 20 cents stamps. It also bears the interesting hand-stamped mark of "Salvaged Mail//"Comet crash", near Calcutta.//2nd. May 1953" in violet. I think this is the very reason why it is such a rare cover. There is some water staining on the top left aspect due to the effects of the crash and one stamp on the top right corner has been washed off. We don't know how many more covers from North Borneo flown in the ill-fated Comet flight - could there be more covers?
The Comet Crash
In May 2, 1953, a BOAC comet 1 brought 43 people on board from Calcutta airport to London. It was thought that the plane then crashed 6 minutes after taking off from Calcutta airport due to 'exceptionally' severe tropical storm. This killed all 43 passengers abroad. Historically, this was the third crash of the Comet flight in the first year of the company's operation, and this was followed by a series of other crashes in 1954 as well.
Pic: Similar salvaged mail from Singapore to London.
