ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian airlines CEO says hope fading for survivors of crash in Lebanon
Record ID:
382723
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian airlines CEO says hope fading for survivors of crash in Lebanon
- Title: ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian airlines CEO says hope fading for survivors of crash in Lebanon
- Date: 27th January 2010
- Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JANUARY 26, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE OFFICE FLAG FLYING HALF MAST ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES LOGO ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES CEO, GIRMA WAKE TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES CEO, GIRMA WAKE, SAYING: "We believe they will able to trace, one, the fuselage of the aircraft and the black box, and it is very possible that the blackbox will be located soon, and once it is located and recovered, the investigation will be made much simpler." ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES MODEL PLANE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES CEO, GIRMA WAKE, SAYING: "I cannot say. It is very, very difficult. One, it's a cold sea. Two, it's a long period. You know after the Haiti earthquake, many hours after, many people are still being pulled out of the remains, I will not say it is impossible but I believe the chances are not that high." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES CEO, GIRMA WAKE, SAYING: "The search and rescue mission was suspended since last evening because of darkness and the sea level but it has resumed since 6 o'clock Beirut time today, 7 o'clock our time here." WAKE'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES CEO, GIRMA WAKE, SAYING: "Because of the appeal that was made by the Lebanese government for support from friendly countries, the French are sending search specialists and navy to Beirut. The American navy has deployed." JOURNALIST JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 11th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ethiopia
- Country: Ethiopia
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVA64BT3SHCY39F8IG0IW9LEGPUT
- Story Text: Ethiopian airlines CEO says black box and fuselage of the jet that crashed will be retrieved soon, but chances of finding more survivors are slim.
Lebanese and international rescuers scoured the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday (January 26) to widen their search for the victims and wreckage of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed into the sea soon after takeoff from Beirut.
Recovery teams pulled out a segment of the plane's wing that had Ethiopian Airlines' red, yellow and green colours emblazoned on it.
At the Ethiopian Airlines headquarters in Addis Ababa, Chief executive Officer Girma Wake briefed journalists on the progress of the search.
"We believe they will able to trace, one, the fuselage of the aircraft and the black box, and it is very possible that the blackbox will be located soon, and once it is located and recovered, the investigation will be made much simpler," Wake said.
Wake was not as optimistic about finding survivors.
"I cannot say. It is very, very difficult. One, it's a cold sea. Two, it's a long period. You know after the Haiti earthquake, many hours after, many people are still being pulled out of the remains, I will not say it is impossible but I believe the chances are not that high," he said.
Wake said the Lebanese security recovery teams were planning to widen their search perimeter off the Na'ameh coast, 10 km (six miles) south of the capital, after rough seas and high waves hampered them during the night.
"The search and rescue mission was suspended since last evening because of darkness and the sea level but it has resumed since 6 o'clock Beirut time today, 7 o'clock our time here," Wake said.
Ninety people, mostly Lebanese and Ethiopians, were on board Flight ET409 heading to Addis Ababa before it disappeared off the radar five minutes after takeoff.
A team of investigators from Ethiopia, including Ethiopian Airlines officials, arrived in Beirut. Boeing said it was coordinating with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board to assist Lebanese authorities in the inquiry.
Lebanese army, U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, Cypriot police and the British military stationed in Cyprus provided helicopters, ships and divers to aid search-and-rescue efforts in the area off Na'ameh.
"Because of the appeal that was made by the Lebanese government for support from friendly countries, the French are sending search specialists and navy to Beirut. The American navy has deployed," Wake said.
The official said the plane last underwent a maintenance check on December 25 and no technical problems were found. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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