Manchester United fans remember Feb 6, 1958 plane crash victims

February 6, 2012 - 14:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Manchester United fans and players have paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958, Daily Mail reported.

Eight United players were among the 23 people who died when the plane caught fire soon after take off.

Current Old Trafford starts Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen led the tributes as fans gathered outside the stadium to pay their respects.

The chartered aircraft was bringing the Manchester United players and staff back from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia and had stopped at Munich's Riem Airport to refuel.

On the third attempt to take off the plane over-shot the runway, veered to the right and hit two buildings before bursting into flames.

The average age of the players who died was 24 and they included captain Roger Byrne, Mark Jones, Eddie Colman, Tommy Taylor, Liam Whelan, David Pegg, Duncan Edwards and Geoff Bent. Manager Matt Busby survived' but was one of the worst injured.

The United squad was termed the “Busby Babes” due to it's youthful make-up.

Owen and Rooney took to Twitter to mark the occasion, with the former re-tweeting: “54 years ago 2day United Lost some remarkable players in the Munich Air Crash RIP gone but not 4gotten.”

Rooney, meanwhile, re-tweeted: “RIP to those who lost their lives in Munich on the 54th anniversary. Football is a game. There's so much more to life.”