Prologue

Extract from the London Times.

The Times, 12th December 1981.

Plane crash in Congolese forest.

On Sunday, a light aeroplane piloted by Fred Simpson, CEO of Union Oil was believed to have gone down in the heart of the former Belgium Congo now called the Democratic Republic of Congo. Contact with the plane was lost after government officials received a mayday call. Mister Simpson reported engine problems in his radio transmission that lasted for a few seconds only.

Travelling with Mister Simpson 34 from Dorking, Surrey was his wife Jessica 32 and their five-year-old daughter Emma.

Search teams have so far, found no trace of the aircraft; a six-year-old Piper Chipmunk owned by Mister Simpson. Teams have scoured the area from coordinates given shortly before contact was lost.

Mr. and Mrs. Simpson who have been married for eight years, recently moved to Bumba to take up his £250K position the headquarters of Union Oil. They were travelling to Kindu on business. Mister Simpson was an experienced pilot.

The search continues.

Extract from the London Times

The Times, 16th December 1981.

Search teams are still scouring the area where a light aircraft belonging to Mr Simpson, CEO of Union Oil was believed to have gone down with engine failure. A spokesman for the rescue teams said that unless they are found soon, hope would quickly fade for finding any survivors. The forest can reach temperatures as high as forty degrees during the day and as low as five at night with humidity as high as ninety percent.

John Grant, who has temporarily taken control at the helm of Union Oil, major employers in the Bumba region, said today that, "Every effort and no expense is being spared in the search."

Extract from the London Times

The Times, 28th December 1981

The search for the stricken light aircraft, believed to have gone down in the jungle between Bumba and Kindu has been called off. "Hope of finding wreckage or survivors was like finding a needle in a haystack," said the newly appointed CEO of Union Oil, John Grant; 50. He went on to say that "Mister Simpson would be a great loss to the company. It is a tragedy for the family, our thoughts and prayers are with them."

A memorial service is due to be held in the private chapel of Union Oil.

The news of Mister Simpson's death has prompted a significant fall in the stock price of Union Oil, falling to $120.60, a fall of $2.80 overnight.

The aircraft, a Piper Chipmunk, was last heard from when Government officials, working at a listening post in an unnamed location, received a mayday call. They reported that Mister Simpson complained of an engine problem. The aircraft disappeared from radar screens soon afterwards. No wreckage has been found at the last coordinates given; rescue attempts have been hampered by dense forest.