00:00
/
00:00
Erebus - Operation Overdue
Television (Full Length and Trailer) – 2014
When 257 people died on an Air New Zealand sightseeing tour to Antarctica in November 1979, a team of 11 Kiwi police officers were sent to help recover their bodies. This award-winning 70 minute docudrama chronicles the harrowing and life-changing fortnight the police experienced, in perilous conditions. Co-director Charlotte Purdy has close ties to the disaster — her uncle Gordon Brooks, an Air New Zealand engineer, died in the crash. Roundhill ski field in the South Island stands in for Mt Erebus. Some of the clothing and boots were actual items worn by police during Operation Overdue.
It’s affected me to this day … you can’t get away from it.– Police officer Greg Gilpin
Key Cast & Crew
See all 34 credits
Acknowledgements
Made with funding from NZ On Air's Platinum Fund
Music
'Bird in the Thyme' written by Hollie Fullbrook and performed by Tiny Ruins
Categories
If you liked this, you might also like...
The Antarctica Collection
A collection celebrating Antarctica.
Flight 901 - The Erebus Disaster
A documentary made two years after the Erebus disaster
Then Again - Strongman Mine
Another tragic disaster
By the Balls
Charlotte Purdy also co-directed this documentary
When a City Falls
Documentary on the aftermath of another NZ disaster
Wahine - The Untold Story
New Zealand's worst modern maritime disaster
When We Go to War - First Episode (excerpt)
Co-director Peter Burger also worked on this
Antarctica
Includes one of the last Antarctic sightseeing flights
Kiwi
Carmen J Leonard also produced this documentary
Hillary
Producer Carmen J Leonard also worked on this miniseries
Kete Aronui - Peter Burger
Earlier interview with co-director Peter Burger
Strongman - The Tragedy
Simon Coldrick also edited this docudrama