Mystery still surrounds the death of respected UN head Hammarskjöld, 63 years after the tragic plane crash

On the first day of his second term, Secretary-General Hammarskjöld (back of car, right) leaves United Nations Headquarters on his way to a luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in his honor, hosted by the city’s Mayor New York’s Robert Wagner presided.

Important new information

According to UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, “significant new information” has been sent to the investigation in light of this latest update.

This includes possible interception by Member States of communications relating to the accident, the capacity of the Katanga armed forces or others to launch an attack on SE-BDY and ​​involvement of foreign intelligence or paramilitary personnel in the area at the time.

It also includes additional new information regarding the context and events surrounding 1961.

“At this time, [Mr. Othman] The assessment remains reasonable in assuming that an external attack or threat was the cause of the accident. [He] note that the alternative theories that still seem to exist are that the accident was caused by sabotage or inadvertent human error,” Mr. Haq said.

Documents were almost certainly withheld

However, Mr Othman’s assessment to date is that it is “almost certain” that specific, important and hitherto undisclosed information exists in the archives of Member States, Mr Haq said.

He noted that to date, Mr. Othman had not received concrete answers to his queries from a number of Member States believed to hold useful information.

“The Secretary General personally watched [Mr. Othman’s] outstanding requests for information and calls on Member States to disclose any relevant records in their possession,” Mr Haq added.

“With the significant progress already achieved, the Secretary-General calls on all of us to renew our resolve and commitment to pursue the full truth about what happened that fateful night in 1961.”