Air New Zealand has finally said sorry to the families of those who died in a plane crash thirty years ago but stopped short of apologising for the accident itself or the airline’s actions during investigations into its cause.

Rob Fyfe, the airline’s chief executive, unveiled a memorial on Friday to the 257 people who died when a DC10 airliner crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica during a sightseeing flight in 1979.

The Erebus disaster, which also killed six Britons, was New Zealand's biggest single tragedy.

“Sorry to everyone affected who did not receive the compassion and support they should have from Air New Zealand,” Mr Fyfe told a crowd of hundreds at the airline's headquarters, including families of some of the victims.

He said he hoped that the apology would make up for “many of the gaps and failings that occurred in the days, months and years” after the disaster.

But Mr Fyfe said that he would not go so far as apologising for the accident itself or the airline's actions during investigations into its cause.

An investigation by New Zealand's chief air accident investigator at the time attributed the disaster to pilot error, although a subsequent subjudicial inquiry found that the airliner's navigational computers had been incorrectly programmed and accused airline executives of covering up evidence and misleading investigators.

Mr Fyfe told those attending the ceremony that the victims' families did not receive enough support in the aftermath of the disaster. Families received some financial compensation but many relatives complained of a lack of communication or emotional support.

Air New Zealand will mark the actual anniversary of the crash by flying five representatives of passengers, flight crew and cabin crew to New Zealand's Antarctic outpost, Scott Base, then to the crash site on the flank of Mount Erebus for a memorial ceremony.

Messages from family members would be placed in a capsule at the crash site.

Explore World News

• World Agenda

• Iraq News

• US & Americas News

• Europe News

• Middle East News

• Afghanistan News

• Asia News

• Africa News

• Ireland News

Times Recommends

• UN may halt 400-year-old 'freedom of the seas'
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone
• Gas deal on hold, but Ukraine may pay in the end