Three Boeings from the bankrupt Nationwide airline will go under the hammer on 9 December, an auction company said on Thursday.

The Boeing 737/200s will be auctioned off at the OR Tambo International Airport, said Ariella Kuper, head of corporate sales at the asset sales and services specialist, Alliance Group.

Kuper said auctioneers expected the planes to each fetch "half a million US dollars and upwards".

The auction is open to the public.

This comes after Nationwide was placed in provisional liquidation in April this year.

Its problems started in November 2007 when an engine fell off one of its aircraft during take-off from Cape Town.

The Civil Aviation Authority subsequently grounded the airline for several weeks.

Those interested in attending the auction can visit www.alliancegroup.co.za for more information.

Sapa