In early 1947, Australian newspapers reported on the disappearance of a Dutch Dakota aircraft en route from Australia to the Netherlands East Indies. The aircraft was later found wrecked in remote Northern Territory country near Katherine Gorge, after being struck by lightning during a severe storm. The strike caused a complete electrical failure, leaving the crew without radio communication or reliable navigation.
The incident quickly attracted national attention. Initial fears were that the aircraft and its crew had been lost in one of the most isolated regions of Australia. However, what followed was not a tragedy, but one of the most remarkable survival stories recorded in post-war aviation in Australia.
The crash near Katherine Gorge
On 26 February 1947, the Dutch-operated Douglas C-47 Dakota departed Sydney on a flight to Jakarta. While flying over the Northern Territory, the aircraft encountered severe weather. A lightning strike disabled its electrical systems, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in rugged terrain east of Katherine Gorge.
Although the aircraft was badly damaged, the crew survived the impact. They now faced a far greater challenge: survival in an environment where distances were vast, communications non-existent, and help potentially hundreds of kilometres away.
A decision to move
With their radio inoperative and no clear prospect of rescue, the crew made a critical decision. Rather than remain with the wreckage, they would attempt to reach civilisation.
Among the items salvaged from the aircraft was a rubber dinghy. The men made their way to the nearby Katherine River, recognising it as their best chance of finding a route through the otherwise impenetrable landscape.
A gruelling six-day journey
Contemporary reporting in the Kalgoorlie Miner of 2 April 1947 (see below) described the ordeal as a “gruelling six-day journey by raft and foot in rough country.”
The survivors alternated between drifting downstream in the inflatable dinghy and walking along the riverbanks where necessary. The terrain was extremely difficult, consisting of rocky escarpments, dense vegetation, and steep gorge sections.
Food supplies soon ran out. As the journey progressed, the men became increasingly exhausted and weakened. In order to survive, they were eventually forced to kill and eat a dog that had accompanied them on the flight.
Despite these extreme conditions, they continued downstream, driven by the expectation that the river would lead them to settlement.
Arrival at Katherine
After six days of difficult travel, the survivors reached the outskirts of Katherine. Their sudden appearance astonished local authorities, as they had already been reported missing.
They were able to make contact with police, bringing an end to their ordeal. Subsequent searches located the wreckage of the Dakota near Katherine Gorge, confirming the details of the crash.
The story received widespread media coverage, highlighting both the dangers of flying over remote northern Australia and the extraordinary resilience of the crew.
A story preserved in personal memory
While the incident is well documented in Australian newspaper archives, it has also been preserved through personal recollections passed down within families.
One such account concerns a Dutch airman remembered as Eddy van Kroon. According to family recollections, he was among those on the flight. After the crash, with the aircraft’s radio no longer functioning, he and several others set out in search of help.
The story, as later recounted to his son Karel (the entertainer Marty Rhone), closely mirrors the historical record. It describes a journey through the remote Northern Territory landscape, the use of an inflatable dinghy along the river, and the extreme conditions faced by the group. The recollection includes vivid details of the environment—crocodiles, the vastness of the outback, and the uncertainty of their direction—as well as the difficult decision to consume the dog in order to survive.
According to this account, the group eventually reached Katherine, where they presented themselves at the local police station as the “missing Dutch airmen,” to the initial disbelief of those they encountered.
History and memory
Although the exact identity of “Eddy van Kroon” has not yet been conclusively verified in official records, the strong alignment between the documented incident and the family recollection suggests that this personal story is rooted in the same historical event.
As is often the case, names and details can shift over time in oral histories. However, the core elements of the story—the crash, the river journey, the struggle for survival, and the eventual rescue—are clearly supported by contemporary sources.
Conclusion
The 1947 Dutch Dakota crash near Katherine Gorge stands as one of the most compelling aviation survival stories in Australia. It highlights not only the risks associated with early post-war aviation, but also the resilience and determination of those involved.
At the same time, the preservation of this story through personal recollection—such as that of Eddy van Kroon and his son Karel—adds an important human dimension to the historical record. Together, they form part of the shared Dutch–Australian heritage, linking documented history with lived experience and memory.
Paul Budde April 2026
