DATE=10/31/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EGYPTAIR 990 (UPDATE)(L)
NUMBER=2-255675
BYLINE=LARRY FREUND
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Investigators are searching for clues for the
cause of the crash of an EgyptAir Boeing 767 airliner
shortly after it took off early Sunday from New York's
Kennedy Airport, on a flight to Cairo. Two hundred
seventeen people were aboard the aircraft and no
survivors have been located. Correspondent Larry
Freund reports from New York.
TEXT: The National Transportation Safety Board, N-T-S-
B - the U-S agency responsible for air crash
investigations - has sent its investigators to the
crash scene to begin searching for evidence to explain
why EgyptAir Flight 990 fell into the ocean about 100
kilometers south of the island of Nantucket
(Massachusetts). Radar indicates the aircraft fell
very quickly shortly after taking off from New York.
One of the key items searchers will try to find is the
"black box," the on-board flight data and voice
recorder that may explain what caused what one senior
investigator calls an enormous human tragedy.
Rear Admiral Richard Larrabee of the U-S Coast Guard
said locating that black box is a top priority.
/// LARRABEE ACTUALITY ///
One of my concerns right now is locating and
recovering that black box.
/// END ACT ///
The EgyptAir flight originated in Los Angeles,
California, and took off for Cairo after stopping in
New York for about an hour to receive additional
passengers and to re-fuel.
President Clinton told reporters there is no evidence
of foul play but investigators say nothing can be
ruled out.
Families of the passengers aboard the jetliner
gathered at a hotel at Kennedy Airport, where they
spoke with New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
/// GIULIANI ACTUALITY ///
They are seeking information. And what we have tried
to say to them is that this is going to be a very
difficult process. At this point no one really has
evidence of what happened. So everybody is
speculating. And that is very dangerous. The N-T-S-B
and the F-B-I and everyone else is going to
investigate this very thoroughly. And it is going to
take days, weeks, maybe even months to get a good
picture of exactly what happened.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
A special U-S Navy ship that has been used to lift
wreckage of other aircraft from the ocean floor is on
its way to the crash scene. (signed)
NEB/NY/LSF/gm
31-Oct-1999 19:15 PM EDT (01-Nov-1999 0015 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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