On 16 July 1960, after taking off from Copenhagen Airport at 15.38 local time, a de Havilland Dragon Rapide plane, (registration OY-DZY) chartered to the Danish Football Association, crashed into the ÃÂresund about from shore after the pilot lost control of the aircraft in severe weather. All eight passengers died; the pilot survived but required a leg to be amputated.
Witnesses reported that shortly after taking off, one the plane's engines failed as the aircraft was only from the surface. The plane then went into a spin and crashed into the water about beyond the end of the runway. In the immediate aftermath, all sporting events throughout Denmark were cancelled. A scheduled exhibition football match by Manchester United in August was cancelled out of respect for the players' families.
The plane was carrying eight association football players to Herning Airport for a final trial match at Herning stadium to select the for the 1960 Olympic tournament. Three of the eight had been provisionally selected for the squad; the rest were and youth internationals with a last chance to impress the selectors.
The dead were:
Two fishermen found pilot Stig Vindeløv alive in the wreckage, along with Per Funch Jensen, who died en route to hospital.
A smaller plane waiting for clearance to take off when the accident occurred was due to carry four other players to the same match: Erik Dyreborg, Hans Christian Andersen, Bent Jørgensen, and Bjarne Eklund. These were all youth players. Dyreborg was reassigned from the first plane to make room for a kit basket.
After the accident, the Danish FA considered withdrawing from the Olympic tournament. In the event, they won the silver medal, losing to Yugoslavia in the final.