BENIN/ LEBANON: LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTER OBEID VISIT PLANE CRASH SITE/ RESCUE WORKERS PREPARE TO SEND BODIES OF VICTIMS BACK TO LEBANON

Record ID: 383729

  • Title: BENIN/ LEBANON: LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTER OBEID VISIT PLANE CRASH SITE/ RESCUE WORKERS PREPARE TO SEND BODIES OF VICTIMS BACK TO LEBANON
  • Date: 26th December 2003
  • Summary: (W5) COTONOU, BENIN (DECEMBER 26, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. VAIROUS OF LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTER JEAN OBEID VISITING CRASH SITE 0.07 2. VARIOUS OF WRECKAGE OF COCKPIT DASHBOARD ON BEACH AND IN SHALLOW WATER 0.14 3. SMV OBEID LOOKING AT WRECKAGE 0.20 4. CLOSE OF PLANE WRECKAGE WITH WIDE OF LEBANESE ARMY PREPARING FOR SALVAGE OPERATION 0.28 5. CLOSE OF AIRPLANE SEAT 0.32 6. WIDE OF WRECKAGE INCLUDING AIRPLANE SEAT 0.36 7. CLOSE OF CHILD'S DUMMY/ PACIFIER AND SHOES ON BEACH 0.40 8. WIDE OF MEN LOOKING AT WRECKAGE OF WING OF PLANE 0.45 9. SLV MEN AND WRECKAGE 0.50 10. GV SMALL PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD /PULLOUT TO MEN ON BEACH 0.58 11. VARIOUS OF LEBANESE ARMY SOLDIERS LOADING EQUIPMENT ONTO VEHICLES (3 SHOTS) 1.15 12. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF MAUNA CLINIC HOSPITAL 1.21 7. SLV PEOPLE STANDING IN HOSPITAL CORRIDOR 1.23 8. PAN OF TWO SURVIVING PASSENGERS IN HOTEL BEDS 1.30 9. SCU SURVIVOR 1.34 10. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SURVIVING PASSENGER NABIL HASHEM, SAYING: "As the plane was taking off, it apparently hit something. People are saying that it hit a pole or something like that, maybe it was the wing that hit something. Fortunately we were close to the water and so it crashed in the sea and then it started to break everywhere. When I woke up everything was collapsing around me inside the plane. I found myself tied to the seat so I unfastened by seat belt and swam to the shore." 2.19 11. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SURVIVING PASSENGER KHEDR HASSAN FARAHAT, SAYING: "When the plane took off it was very forceful and very strong. Just as it was becoming airborne, the right wing hit the ground and then I only came to when I was in the water with debris of the plane everywhere and people crashing near me. The last thing I saw was a lot of dust." 2.42 (U6) COTONOU, BENIN (DECEMBER 26, 2003) (REUTERS) 12. SLV MEN PUTTING SHROUDED BODY OF DEAD CHILD INTO COFFIN 2.49 13. SMV DISTRAUGHT MOURNERS 2.54 14. SLV MEN LIFTING COVERED BODY FROM TRUCK INTO COFFINS 3.11 15. WIDE OF MEN STANDING AROUND PILE OF COFFINS /ZOOM INTO SCU OF DISTRESSED MAN CRYING OVER COFFIN 3.23 16. WIDE OF PEOPLE SURROUDING TRUCK 3.27 17. CLOSE OF COVERED BODIES IN BACK OF TRUCK 3.32 18. SLV MEN MOVING COFFIN 3.39 (U4) KHARAYEB, LEBANON (DECEMBER 26, 2003) (REUTERS) 19. VARIOUS, INTERIOR OF HOUSE WITH WOMEN MOURNING CRASH VICTIMS (6 SHOTS) 4.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 10th January 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: COTONOU, BENIN/ KHARAYEB, LEBANON
  • City:
  • Country: Lebanon Benin
  • Reuters ID: LVA951S9GSVCIQCZBJDK0LCZETUO
  • Story Text: Rescuers toil at Benin crash site as dead identified.



    Lebanese Foreign Minister Jean Obeid arrived at
    Benin's airport on Friday (December 26). The Lebanese
    official was greeted by Benin officials as well as a crowd
    of Lebanese ex-patriots.

    Obeid was taken to the UTA plane's crash site where he
    inspected the wreckage. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army
    division began to prepare for their salvaging operation at
    the wreckage site.

    Prior to Obeid's arrival the Lebanese government had
    sent a delegation to Benin to find more answers and
    coordinate the return of the injured and dead.

    At least 100 Lebanese nationals died after a plane en
    route to Beirut from the West African country of Benin
    crashed Thursday (December 25). Prior to its stop in Benin,
    the plane had taken off from Guinea.

    Lebanese families had rushed to Beirut International
    Airport after news of the plane crash was reported by
    television stations.

    Reports say that the plane crashed shortly after
    take-off as an explosion occurred forcing the plane to veer
    into a building and crash onto the near-by shore-line.

    One of the surviving passengers described the accident.

    "As the plane was taking off, it apparently hit something.

    People are saying that it hit a pole or something like
    that, maybe it was the wing that hit something. Fortunately
    we were close to the water and so it crashed in the sea and
    then it started to break everywhere. When I woke up
    everything was collapsing around me inside the plane. I
    found myself tied to the seat so I unfastened by seat belt
    and swam to the shore," Nabil Hashem, a 29-year-old
    Lebanese from Cotonou said from his hospital bed.

    "When the plane took off it was very forceful and very
    strong. Just as it was becoming airborne, the right wing
    hit the ground and then I only came to when I was in the
    water with debris of the plane everywhere and people
    crashing near me. The last thing I saw was a lot of dust,"
    Khedr Hassan Farahat, another survivor, said.

    Lebanon's Middle East Airlines has already sent a plane
    with a medical crew on board, which will eventually bring
    back home the injured and the bodies as early as Friday
    night.

    Police began an inquiry into why the airliner,
    belonging to the Lebanese-owned Union des Transporteurs
    Africains, crashed.

    Airport officials said the plane had difficulty
    retracting its undercarriage after takeoff.

    It was not immediately known how many people were on
    flight UTA 141, which could carry 141 passengers and crew.

    Most of those on board were Lebanese but some were from
    Benin, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

    In Lebanon, families of the plane crash victims mourned
    their loss Friday (December 26).

    In the southern village of Kharayeb, where nine of the
    victims were from, families prepared coffins and a funeral
    hall in anticipation of the arrival of the bodies.

    "This disaster that happened is very painful for all of
    us and hurts us all deeply. It has affected the entire
    country because the victims are all our sons and
    daughters," the mayor of the village said.





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