LEBANON: Search goes on for plane crash victims

Record ID: 382133

  • Title: LEBANON: Search goes on for plane crash victims
  • Date: 27th January 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BEIRUT RESIDENT MOHAMED ABU HAMDAN SAYING: ''This is a national catastrophe. We are very saddened by what happened. Our condolences to the people. I hope we can find survivors, that is all I can hope for.'' PEDESTRIANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BEIRUT RESIDENT MOHAMED SHUMAN SAYING: ''God have mercy on their souls, these are martyrs. I think there was some sort of shortcoming either by the airplane carrier or there was lack of coordination between the pilot and the aiport.'' CLOSED SHOPS TARMAC OF BEIRUT AIRPORT FLIGHTS TAKING OFF FROM AIRPORT TARMAC
  • Embargoed: 11th February 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVAAQ5C9XXII6MKG2AJS515SCFDC
  • Story Text: Ninety feared dead in plane crash - Lebanese continue search for the missing and ask why it happened.
    Lebanese on Tuesday (January 26) mourned those lost in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash.
    The search was continuing for the bodies of 76 people still missing and feared dead when the Boeing 737 ploughed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly afetr take off from Beirut international airport on Monday.
    Officials said 14 bodies have so far been recovered.
    Authorities downplayed hopes of finding survivors and search efforts focused on recovering the remains of passengers still strapped to their seats and the black box flight recorders.
    Flight ET409, a Boeing 737-800, heading for Addis Ababa, disappeared off the radar five minutes after taking off at 2:37 a.m. (0037 GMT).
    The Lebanese army said the plane had broken up in the air before plummeting into rough seas. One witness described the impact as a "flash that lit up the whole sea".
    Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said he did not think the plane had been brought down deliberately, emphasising "a sabotage attack is unlikely".
    Eighty-three passengers and seven crew were on the flight.
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