From the Archives, 1946: Airliner crashes, 25 missing We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss From the Archives, 1946: Airliner crashes, 25 missing All 25 persons aboard a Melbourne-bound Australian National Airways DC3 were believed dead after the aircraft was seen plunging into the sea near Hobart. By Staff reporter Normal text size AIRLINER CRASHES:25 MISSING MELBOURNE, Sunday.— All 25 persons in a Douglas airliner which crashed into the sea off Tasmania to-night are believed to have been lost. A DC3 aircraft in flight. The plane, with 21 passengers and a crew of four, plunged into the sea five minutes after it had taken off from Cambridge (Tasmania) for Essendon (Melbourne) at 8.50 p.m.