DATE=11/2/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EGYPT AIR CRASH UPDATE (L)
NUMBER=2-255759
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The US Navy has detected more signals from
what could be the voice and data recorders from Egypt
Air flight 990 which crashed off the coast of
Massachusetts Sunday shortly after taking off from New
York for Cairo, killing all 217 people on board. But
bad weather is forcing ships searching for wreckage to
head back into port and conditions are expected to
deteriorate over the next several days. Correspondent
Nick Simeone reports on what investigators expect will
be a very difficult and slow search for answers to
what caused the crash.
TEXT: Much of the investigation into the crash of
flight 990 will be suspended, perhaps until Saturday,
if the forecast for gale force winds and heavy seas
proves true. The wind here in Newport is already
blowing so strong that the Naval vessel, the "USS
Grapple" can not be fitted with the undersea equipment
it needs to recover the jet's voice and data recorders
from the bottom of the ocean.
Navy Captain Jeff Graham.
/// GRAHAM ACT ///
The weather has deteriorated worse than we had
anticipated. In fact, the high winds at the
pier here in Newport, Rhode Island have
precluded the continuation of the installation
of `deep-drone' on `Grapple'. That is a delay
that we hoped not to have occurred.
/// END ACT ///
That means investigators may not be able to retrieve
the plane's so-called black boxes before Saturday.
The devices record the voice of the pilots and other
flight data and are considered key to determining what
caused the jet to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean just
minutes after take off.
But other parts of the investigation are moving
forward. The FBI has interviewed more than 100 people
around the country -- including two on the
Massachusetts island of Nantucket who say they saw
something unusual in the sky around the time of the
crash. FBI regional director Barry Mawn wants to hear
from anyone who may have leads in the case and the
agency is establishing a toll free telephone number
for anyone who may have relevant information.
/// MAWN ACT ///
We have established this 1-800 number primarily
to provide a vehicle for the general public to
reach out and report to us any unusual or
suspicious activity that they may have seen. It
is important to us in any investigation that
usually, a lot of information usually does come
from the general public.
/// END ACT ///
The National Transportation Safety Board has disclosed
that while the Egypt Airliner was in the United
States, two of the plane's tires were replaced. One
engine thrust reverser -- used to slow planes upon
landing -- was reported to be inoperable. Both are
under investigation. But under US regulations, one
malfunctioning thrust reverser would not by itself be
cause for grounding the flight. But the problem with
the thrust reverser is blamed for the cause of a plane
crashed in Thailand in 1991.(SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/TVM/PT
02-Nov-1999 22:12 PM EDT (03-Nov-1999 0312 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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