Maurice Kirk, 71, who disappeared between Sudan and Ethiopia while flying his 1943 Piper Cub plane in air rally, reported ‘safe and accounted for’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

A 71-year-old British pilot who went missing over Africa in his 1940s plane has turned up – but he and fellow participants in a vintage air rally appear to have run into trouble with the authorities in Ethiopia.

Maurice Kirk, a retired vet and former drinking partner of actor Oliver Reed, was taking part in the Vintage Air Rally (VAR) flying from Crete to Cape Town when he was reported missing.

Organisers said Kirk and his 1943 Piper Cub plane disappeared somewhere between Sudan and Ethiopia, and a search and rescue operation had been launched.

But on Wednesday night VAR announced on its Facebook page that Kirk and the rest of participants, around 40 people in all, were in Gambela, Ethiopia.

It sounded as if all was not going smoothly. The statement read: “The Ethiopian authorities have elected to allocate accommodation at the airport rather than permit them to proceed to their pre-booked hotel. The reasons for this, at this time, are not 100% clear.

“There is no possibility to communicate with them but all participants, including Maurice Kirk, are safe and accounted for. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is aware, is talking with other embassies, and is negotiating on their behalf. We have no further information because of the lack of communications. More information to follow when available.”

The project is an extraordinary one. Forty men and women – husband-and-wife teams, fathers and daughters, entire families – are attempting to fly more than 8,000 miles across Africa in old aircraft that were designed to do little more than short-distance hauls.

They are aiming to cross 10 countries, including some beset by war, in a rally seeking to recreate the 1931 Imperial Airways “Africa Route”.

The intended route takes in Cairo, the highlands of Ethiopia, Mount Kilimanjaro, the island of Zanzibar and the Victoria Falls before ending in Cape Town, South Africa, on 17 December.

Two helicopters and six modern aircraft, carrying spares and equipment, are flying alongside the vintage planes. Special fuel has been flown in to various points along the route.

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Explaining the adventure, VAR says on its website: “Throughout we will be staying in a wide variety of locations, from five-star hotels to tented camps (and everything in between). Obligatory equipment will include a sleeping bag, full black tie and a beginner’s guide to Swahili (all three items will be needed at some stage or another, perhaps simultaneously!).

“There will be trials and tribulations, mechanical and human stress – all in stunning visual settings. The support aircraft (both aeroplanes and helicopters) will be busy keeping the show in the air (and perhaps helping the vintage aeroplanes that have made precautionary landings here, there and everywhere).”

Kirk did not set off with the main party but joined them en route. He was asked to withdraw from the rally because of what the organisers called a “mismatch in expectations”.

He then went missing during what was due to be a three-hour leg from southern Sudan into western Ethiopia.

In a statement, the organisers said: “Vintage Air Rally participant Maurice Kirk, with his 1943 Piper Cub aeroplane, has not arrived at his expected destination, Gambella, Ethiopia.

“Contrary to our advice to return to Khartoum, Mr Kirk departed Ad-Damazin, Sudan for the three-hour flight to Gambella. No radio communications or satellite tracking were received at any time during the flight, and his location is unknown.”

In his final social media posting before he vanished, Kirk wrote: “Oh what a night at the British Embassy and access to real beer! I had the Russian Ambassidor particularly interested in the state of our UK law courts and the greed behind it all.”

It is not known if he will attempt to continue to fly to South Africa.