CANADA/SWITZERLAND: CANADIAN OFFICIALS RELEASE TRANSCRIPTS OF COCKPIT TO TOWER TRANSMISSIONS FROM SWISSAIR FLIGHT 111/MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF AIRCRASH HELD IN GENEVA

Record ID: 987909

  • Title: CANADA/SWITZERLAND: CANADIAN OFFICIALS RELEASE TRANSCRIPTS OF COCKPIT TO TOWER TRANSMISSIONS FROM SWISSAIR FLIGHT 111/MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF AIRCRASH HELD IN GENEVA
  • Date: 5th September 1998
  • Summary: PEGGY'S COVE, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA (SEPTEMBER 5, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV RELATVES OF CRASH VICTIMS ARRIVING AT PEGGY'S COVE, HOLDING FLOWERS 0.18 2. SLV WOMAN EMBRACING RELATIVE 0.25 3. SLV SEARCHERS FROM MILITARY ON SHORE 0.31 HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA (CTV - NO ACCESS CANADA) 4. WIDE PRESS CONFERENCE/ZOOM IN TO VIC GERDIN, CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION BOARD AT PODIUM SAYING THE SEARCH HAS SO FAR RETRIEVED ONLY THE SURFACE PIECES OF THE WRECKAGE. THERE ARE MANY SMALL PIECES. THE BIGGEST PIECE IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SMALL TABLE OR A CAR ROOFTOP. THESE PIECES ARE BEING TAKEN, AS I MENTIONED, DOCKSIDE AND THEN TO A HANGAR HERE IN SHEERWATER. (ENGLISH) 1.00 5. MAP SHOWING PRELIMINARY TRACK AND PRINT OUT OF CONTROL TOWER TRANSCRIPT./ VOICE OF GERDIN SAYING: "THE CREW OF ONE-ELEVEN SAID 'WE ARE DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AT TIME ZERO-ONE-TWO-FOUR.' THAT WAS TWENTY-FOUR MINUTES AFTER 10 O'CLOCK LOCAL TIME." / "THE LAST WAS AGAIN ANOTHER ONE FROM THE CONTROLLER THAT SAID 'SWISS AIR ONE-ELEVEN CHECK YOU ARE CLEAR TO START FUEL DUMP' THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS FROM FLIGHT ONE-ELEVEN." (ENGLISH) 1.51 PEGGY'S COVE, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA (RTV--ACCESS ALL) 6. PULL BACK MAN HOLDING FLOWER ENTERS MILITARY TENT NEAR LIGHTHOUSE ON PEGGY'S SHORE 2.01 7. SCU POLICE OFFICER ON SHORE AT SUNSET 2.11 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (SEPTEMBER 5, 1998)(RTV - ACCESS ALL) 8. GV EXTERIOR OF CATHEDRAL ST PIERRE 2.14 9. VARIOUS PEOPLE OUTSIDE CHURCH/ PEOPLE ENTERING CHURCH (3 SHOTS) 2.32 10. WS INTERIOR OF CHURCH 2.39 11. SV PASTER VINCENT SCHMID SPEAKING ABOUT THE DEATHS (FRENCH) 2.54 12. SV MOURNER WEEPING/PAN CEREMONY 3.06 13. SV RABBI FRANCOIS GOROI SINGING LAMENT 3.13 14. PULL OUT CANDLES BEING LIT 3.27 15. SV GREEK ORTHODOX MINISTER BOSILE KOTROTSIOS SPEAKING/ MOURNERS 3.37 16. WS SERVICE 3.40 17. SV BUDDIST MONK M. DOMMOKA(LEFT) PRAYING 3.50 18. SV SWISS AIR CHIEF OF PROTOCOL - MR DUNZEL IN CONGREGATION 3.54 19. WIDE PAN SERVICE IN PROGRESS 4.00 Initials SLIGHTLY LONGER EDIT OF MEMORIAL SERVICE ON PROD 8375/98 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 19th September 1998 13:00
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  • Location: PEGGY'S COVE, AND HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA/GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City:
  • Country: EUROPE Canada NORTH AMERICA Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVABD2AXZQ136STY36EV0WAKLFNF
  • Story Text:As Canadian officials released transcripts of the cockpit to tower transmissions from Swissair Flight 111, grieving relatives of the 229 people who died in the crash off the coast of Canada, have continued to arrive at the closest point on land to where the accident occurred.

    At Peggy's Cove, mourners were taken on Saturday (September 5) to olive green army tents set up near the shoreline about eight kilometres (five miles) from the spot where the MD-11 jet plunged into the Atlantic Ocean off Canada on Wednesday (September 2) night during a flight from New York to Geneva.

    Holding hands and embracing, many picked their way along the rocks to the ocean's edge near a white and red lighthouse.

    Some touched the water or threw flowers and wreaths onto the white-capped waves.

    The deadly crash occurred as the jet manoeuvred to reduce altitude and dump fuel in a desperate attempt to reach Halifax airport, Canadian investigators said on Saturday (September 5), reading out excerpts from the recorded conversation between the doomed jet's flight crew and air traffic control.

    Portions of the transcript were read aloud by Canadian Transportation Board member Vic Gerdin at a news conference in Halifax.

    According to the transcripts, the last words from the cockpit of the doomed flight were "we have to land immediately".He said the last words the controller said to the crew were that they were clear to begin dumping fuel.

    Gerdin said searchers had recovered only small pieces of the plane, the largest being the size of "a small table or a car rooftop".

    In Switzerland a memorial service has been held for the 229 people who died.More than 2,000 people attended the memorial service on Saturday (September 5) at Cathedral St Pierre in Geneva.

    Readings were given at the multi-denominational service by representatives from many faiths including Rabbi Francois Goroi, Greek Orthodox Minister Bosile Kotrotsios and Buddhist monk M.Dommoka.A representative of Swissair was also present.

    Americans formed the largest group on the plane - 131 passengers and one crew member - according to a revised list released by Swissair on Friday (September 4).

    There were 41 Swiss, 30 French and smaller numbers from more than 10 other nationalities.Nobody survived the crash.
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