Tag Archives: Edelweiss

3/2/1964 Press Photo:  83 DIE IN MOUNTAIN AIR DISASTER.  75 passengers bound for a ski-ing holiday, and the crew of eight, all British, died when their Britannia aircraft of British Eagle International Airlines crashed on to the side of the Glungezer Mountain in the Austrian Alps, as it was approaching INNSBRUCK Airport.  After the aircraft had disappeared, fog and snow held up the search, and it was several hours before the wreck was found.  PHOTO SHOWS:  31-year-old HANNES GASSER (left) the best mountain guide in the district, stands by waiting for news of the location of the wrecked Britannia, beside an Austrian Army vehicle.

For someone who is about to embark on a search for plane crash victims of the worst aviation disaster in Austria’s history, this guide seems disturbingly happy – but let’s focus on his ensemble that is classic alpine perfection, right down to the edelweiss pin!  The soldier’s camouflage jacket with gathered bottom hem is pretty fantastic, too — and would be perfectly on trend today with the current camo moment in fashion.

(The setting of this post is a pretty big downer but I am finding it interesting – in terms of history and the reinforcement of the vast scale and power of mountains.  Read the Wikipedia post for more info about the crash and ensuing avalanche.  Watch video footage of the wreckage, please note some content is graphic.)