CAMEROON/KENYA: Wreckage of crashed Kenya Airways plane found near Douala airport

Record ID: 1537278

  • Title: CAMEROON/KENYA: Wreckage of crashed Kenya Airways plane found near Douala airport
  • Date: 7th May 2007
  • Summary: (BN16) NAIROBI, KENYA (MAY 06, 2007) (REUTERS) KENYA AIRWAYS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER WALKING TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYA AIRWAYS GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR TITUS NAIKUNI SAYING: "Kenya Airways regrets to confirm that its flight KQ 507 from Douala to Nairobi has been located on a mangrove swap 20 kilometres south east of Douala on the planned flight path. That now confirms that the aircraft crashed. The reason apparently was not sighted much earlier, we are told by people on site that the aircraft is covered by a canopy of trees and therefore it's not easy to see the aircraft from air." VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS LISTENING TO NAIKUNI (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYA AIRWAYS GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR TITUS NAIKUNI SAYING: "We have no confirmed information as yet about survivors or any possible casualties. The search and rescue team, which includes the KQ team, is still at the accident scene." NAIKUNI LEAVING CONFERENCE HALL
  • Embargoed: 22nd May 2007 15:29
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA3T94B0O9W2ZVB7YQH3MDW4YP2
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: There is no sign of survivors after the wreckage of a doomed Kenya Airways flight is found near Douala airport in Cameroon.
    The wreckage of a Kenya Airways plane that crashed with 114 people on board was found in a swamp a short distance from Cameroon's Douala airport on Sunday (May 6), officials said, but there was no word of any survivors.
    The Boeing 737-800, carrying passengers from more than 20 countries, vanished on Saturday (May 5) shortly after taking off from Douala for Nairobi in torrential rain.
    The wreckage was found 20 km (12 miles) southeast of the airport along the plane's flight path, Kenya Airways said.
    "Kenya Airways regrets to confirm that its flight KQ 507 from Douala to Nairobi has been located on a mangrove swap 20 kilometres south east of Douala on the planned flight path. That now confirms that the aircraft crashed," Kenya Airways Group Managing Director Titus Naikuni told a media conference in Nairobi.
    It was more than 100 km (60 miles) from the zone where radar-equipped helicopters, ground search parties and villagers on motorbikes had spent much of the weekend combing thick tropical forest.
    Mr Naikuni said local fishermen had led rescuers to the crash site.
    "We are told by people on site that the aircraft is covered by a canopy of trees and therefore it's not easy to see the aircraft from air," he said.
    Naikuni gave no details as to why the plane crashed.
    Earlier, Cameroon's state radio said it had been found over 100 km (60 miles) to the south, but quickly withdrew the report.
    Relatives of passengers turned up at airports and Kenya Airways offices in both countries seeking information, some weeping, others clutching radios or phones to their ears. In the Kenyan capital many joined prayer services for the missing.
    Kenya, France and the United States assisted with the search and officials from plane manufacturer Boeing and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board were due in Cameroon to help investigations, the airline said.
    The six-month-old aircraft was carrying 105 passengers and nine crew, most of them African with others from China, India, Europe and elsewhere. The flight had originated in Ivory Coast.
    Anthony Mitchell, a journalist working for the Associated Press in Nairobi, was among five Britons on board, according to Kenya Airways' passenger manifest.
    South African mobile phone operator MTN said its Cameroon subsidiary's chief executive, company secretary, chief financial officer and her husband, and a network engineer were on board. Oil major Chevron said two of its employees were as well.
    Kenya Airways has three 737-800s and Naikuni said it had not decided whether to ground the others.
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