MALAYSIA/BRAZIL: International Air Transport Association (IATA) talks about air safety in the light of Air France plane crash
Record ID:
382134
MALAYSIA/BRAZIL: International Air Transport Association (IATA) talks about air safety in the light of Air France plane crash
- Title: MALAYSIA/BRAZIL: International Air Transport Association (IATA) talks about air safety in the light of Air France plane crash
- Date: 5th June 2009
- Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (JUNE 4, 2009) (REUTERS) KUALA LUMPUR MANDARIN HOTEL WITH TWIN TOWERS NEXT TO IT HOTEL SIGN IATA LOGO BROCHURE IATA DIRECTOR GENERAL AND CEO GIOVANNI BISIGNANI IN AN INTERVIEW WITH JOURNALIST JOURNALIST WRITING NOTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IATA DIRECTOR GENERAL AND CEO, GIOVANNI BISIGNANI, SAYING: "It's a tragedy because every accident of this dimension is a wake up call for everybody and we have to do more but at the same time if you see our record, the only positive issue of this industry is that the record has been great in safety. Every loss of human life is a tragedy and we have to work more, we have to be more co-op (cooperative), we have to aim high to zero accidents." CUTAWAY CLOSE UP OF MR. BISIGNANI (SOUNDBITE) (English) IATA DIRECTOR GENERAL AND CEO, GIOVANNI BISIGNANI, SAYING: "When IATA started 65 years ago, we were carrying our members 9 million passengers a year and we had roughly 900 fatalities. Last year, our members carried 2.2 billion passengers and we had roughly 510 fatalities. I repeat every fatality is a disaster but this is the safest mode of transportation that you can find in the world." IATA LOGOS FERNANDO DE NORONHA, BRAZIL (JUNE 3, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AIR FORCE SOLDIERS CARRYING FUEL TANKS TO FILL PLANES VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS GUARDING AIR BASE SIGN READING: "FERNANDO DE NORONHA AIRPORT" VARIOUS OF AIR FORCE PLANE ON AIR BASE TARMAC
- Embargoed: 20th June 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVADJJPWL2MWFXXK0CQIVVWAGCKL
- Story Text: Chief of International Air Transport Association (IATA) talks about the tragedy and airline safety in the light of the Air France plane crash.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the Air France 447 plane crash is a tragedy.
"It's a tragedy because every accident of this dimension is a wake up call for everybody and we have to do more but at the same time if you see our record, the only positive issue of this industry is that the record has been great in safety. Every loss of human life is a tragedy and we have to work more, we have to be more co-op (cooperative), we have to aim high to zero accidents," said Giovanni Bisignani in Kuala Lumpur, where IATA will hold its annual general meeting next week.
Air France flight 447 lost contact with the Brazil's air force after more than 560km (350 miles) off the coast of Brazil. The last automated signals, which reported an electrical failure, were received about 40 minutes later.
Brazilian military planes searching in the Atlantic Ocean said they have found the wreckage of the jet that went down with 228 people on board earlier this week.
Bisignani said the fatality rate in 2008 has decreased as compared to those in 1944 when IATA first started.
"When IATA started 65 years ago, we were carrying our members 9 million passengers a year and we had roughly 900 fatalities. Last year, our members carried 2.2 billion passengers and we had roughly 510 fatalities. I repeat every fatality is a disaster but this is the safest mode of transportation that you can find in the world," he added.
Brazil has sent four navy ships and a tanker to the remote corner of the ocean, with divers on hand to salvage the pieces.
Officials are struggling to explain how a modern aircraft could have crashed in stormy weather that is routine on the transatlantic route.
One theory is that a lightning strike or brutal turbulence set off further failures. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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