THAILAND: BODIES RECOVERED FROM FATAL EGYPT AIR CRASH AS AIRLINE SENDS INVESTIGATION TEAM.

Record ID: 383721

  • Title: THAILAND: BODIES RECOVERED FROM FATAL EGYPT AIR CRASH AS AIRLINE SENDS INVESTIGATION TEAM.
  • Date: 27th December 1976
  • Summary: 1. TVs: rescue workers sorting through wreckage of aircraft and remains of bodies in Bangkok, Thailand. (3 shots) 0.14 2. SVs: relatives of crash victims waiting at crash site. (2 shots) 0.22 3. SVs INTERIOR: morgue - charred bodies from crash laid out. (2 shots) 0.38 4. SV: hospital technician taking fingerprints from body. 0.48 5. GV PAN FROM: aircraft in air TO SVs Egyptian investigation team examining aircraft wreckage. (3 shots) 1.15 6. SCU: investigation team chief M. Nahas (left) talking to others. 1.28 7. SV: Egyptian official talking to pilot. 1.38 8. SV: investigation team searching through wreckage. 1.47 9. SVs: man placing piece of wreckage on ground from wreckage PAN TO investigators searching wreckage. (2 shots) 2.08 Initials RH/WLW/AW/1715 NOTE TO EDITORS: SOME SCENES IN THIS FILM MAY BE DISTRESSING TO YOUR VIEWERS. Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th January 1977 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVA9475Y6E4BDNYW6OZ0ZGKABV8B
  • Story Text: A twenty-man Egyptian investigation team has been puzzling over the cause of the Egypt air boeing 707 crash in Bangkok, Thailand on Christmas day (25 December).

    SYNOPSIS: At least 70 people died in the crash, when the aircraft hit a textile mill while approaching to land at Bangkok's Don Moang airport. All 52 aboard the 'plane were killed, and it was estimated that about 20 workers in the mill also died. Two days after the accident, while rescue workers were still sifting through the debris, only 42 bodies had been recovered. Almost all were charred beyond recognition, and fingerprints had to be taken for identification purposes. There were several pilgrims to Mecca returning home on a scheduled flight from Cairo, the flight went via Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, picking up the Mecca pilgrims, and stopped off in Bombay, India. It was due to go on to the Philippines and Japan after the Bangkok stopover. The Egyptian investigation team arrived within 24 hours of the crash, and immediately began probing the wreckage for clues to the mystery accident. After listening to tapes of radio conversations between the pilot and Bangkok control tower, they were satisfied there were no obvious irregularities in the approach. The final part of the recording said the pilot could see the runway as he came in at about 15-hundred feet (about 500 metres). Egyptian pilots were on hand to help the investigations, which initially concentrated on the search for the so-called 'black box' flight recorder. Most of the passengers were Egyptians.

    The black box wasn't immediately found, but the voice recorder was quickly uncovered. It was this that led to the mystery -- giving no clues why the aircraft crashed. There was heavy mist in the air at the time, but the pilot's voice in communications with the control tower was normal - giving no signs of distress or anything unusual happening.
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