Ortwin Linger

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Ortwin Linger

Full name	Ortwin Linger
Date of birth	September 17, 1967
Place of birth	Paramaribo, Suriname
Date of death	June 10, 1989 (aged 21)
Place of death	Zanderij Airport, Paramaribo, Suriname
Playing position	Right Back
Youth clubs
-1982 1982-????	JOS Watergraafsmeer HFC Haarlem
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
????-1989	HFC Haarlem	? (?)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Ortwin Linger (born September 17, 1967 in Paramaribo - died June 10, 1989 in Paramaribo) was a Dutch-Suriname footballer. During his career he served HFC Haarlem. He died at the age of 21, when on June 7, 1989 the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 crashed in Paramaribo. He died three days later due to his injuries suffered in the crash. He went to the same high school as Steve van Dorpel who also died in the crash.

Linger was born in Paramaribo, but grew up in Amsterdam, in the Bijlmer area. He started his football career at amateur side JOS Watergraafsmeer where he would play until his 16th. His next step up to a professional career was joining the youth squads of HFC Haarlem. His dream came true after he was promoted into the first team squad and he made his professional debut.

He was invited by Sonny Hasnoe, the founder of the Colourful 11 to be part of the team and travel to Suriname to play in the "Boxel Kleurrijk Tournament" with three Surinamese teams. His friend and AFC Ajax goalkeeper Stanley Menzo was also called up, but told to stay with his club. He however ignored these demands and went as well, but took an earlier flight. The Surinam Airways Flight PY764 crashed during approach to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport, killing 176 of the 187 on-board, including Linger, making it the worst ever aviation disaster in Suriname's history. Among the deads were a total of 15 members of the Colourful 11, only three of them survived. Linger survived the crash and was taken to hospital and was hardly able to be identified. Therefor he was named as Mister X in the hospital. His name was both on the list of the deaths as well as the list of survivors, which left his relatives with heavy emotional feelings with hope and sadness. All he was able to do was wink his eyes. Three days after the accident Mister X died because of his injuries. Later he was identified as being Ortwin Linger by his uncle and Stanley Menzo who recognized his muscles legs and his jaw line. In these days Linger's relatives were supported by Dick Advocaat, who was his manager at HFC Haarlem and who had a close friendship with his mother.

Colourful 11 squad

Surinam Airways Flight PY764

Deaths: Degenaar • Doesburg • Van Dorpel • Fräser • Goodings • J. Haatrecht • Joemankhan • Knel • Kogeldans • Linger • Patrick • Scharmin • Veldman • Vijent • Manager: Stienstra • Survivors: De Haan • Lens • Nandlal

[edit] References

Linger at AndroKnel.nl (Dutch)
Crash report
augustinus college (Dutch)
Iwan Tol: Eindbesteming Zanderij; het vergeten verhaal van het Kleurrijk Elftal (ISBN 9020403664) (Dutch)