- Title: FRANCE: Comoran community in France rallies in memory of victims of Yemenia crash
- Date: 5th July 2009
- Summary: PEOPLE MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (French) ILIASSE ISSILAME, MEMBER OF THE COMORAN COMMUNITY LIVING IN MARSEILLE, SAYING: "Never again, we don't want this (to happen) ever again" ISSILAME AND FELLOW PROTESTERS CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (French) ILIASSE ISSILAME, MEMBER OF THE COMORAN COMMUNITY LIVING IN MARSEILLE, SAYING: "This fight is carrying on today. Today is a day of mourning, this Saturday is a mourning day for all the families we lost" PROTESTERS MARCHING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING AND PRAYING (2 SHOTS) WIDE OF MARCH
- Embargoed: 20th July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVAC6IA4XFZQQ107TCAFUUO58HY1
- Story Text: Around 30,000 Comorans march in the French city of Marseille, home to tens of thousands of Comoran expatriates, in memory of those killed in the Yemenia air crash. Some protest at the airline's safety standards.
Around 30,000 members of the Comoran community in France took to the streets of the southern city of Marseille on Saturday (July 4) to commemorate passengers on board the Yemenia Airbus A310-300 that crashed into deep water off the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros.
Around 80,000 people of Comoran origin are believed to live in Marseille.
The march was peaceful, but some people voiced anger against what they described as the poor security standards of the Yemeni airline.
"Never again, we don't want this (to happen) ever again," said Iliasse Issilame, who stood amidst a crowd of angry Comoran expatriates .
The plane from Yemen with 153 people on board crashed into the sea off the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros as it approached in bad weather early on Tuesday (June 30).
It was coming in to land at Moroni, the Comoran capital, on the final leg of a trip from Paris and Marseille to Comoros via Yemen.
The only survivor, a 14-year-old girl, was plucked from rough seas on Tuesday after clinging to wreckage.
An official from the regional air security body ASECNA said a French naval officer taking part in the search told him the wreck was an estimated 350-500 metres (1,150 to 1,640 feet) below the surface.
French planes are still hunting for the flight recorder from the aircraft.
The airline said the passengers were 75 Comorans and 65 French nationals, along with one Palestinian and one Canadian. The crew comprised six Yemenis, two Moroccans, one Indonesian, one Ethiopian and a Filipina.
The cause of the crash is still unknown. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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