Searchers 'May Have Detected Flight Recorder'

Ananova ^ | 1-5-2004

[blam]

Searchers 'may have detected flight recorder'

Searchers hunting for the wreckage of a charter jet that crashed into the Red Sea have detected a signal that could be the plane's black box flight data recorder.

The signal was detected by a radar on a robotic arm used by searchers in the area where Flash Airlines' Flight FSH604 crashed on Saturday.

"It's a positive sign but nothing conclusive," said a French Embassy official, on condition of anonymity.

There was no indication of how deep the signal was coming from. Experts had said the deep waters would slow recovery efforts.

Most of the 148 people killed in the crash were French tourists, and France has sent in advanced military equipment to help find wreckage and remains, as well as forensics experts to identify body parts through DNA testing.

The body parts recovered from the sea so far bore no burns, suggesting there was no explosion on the Egyptian chartered Boeing 737, French Deputy Foreign Minister Renaud Muselier said.

But Michel Wachenheim, head of France's Civil Aviation Authority, said it would be difficult to determine the cause of the crash until the 'black box' flight recorders were located. He did not rule out the possibility that terrorism could be behind the crash.

"We have no information concerning the cause of this accident, and until we have the flight recorder, we won't know. We cannot exclude either an accident or a criminal cause."

Families of the victims were set to begin arriving on Wednesday in Sharm el-Sheik, a popular resort about 480 miles south-east of Cairo, for memorial services on land and on sea.

Thus far searchers have found only body parts that have been unrecognisable after being retrieved from the shark-infested waters.

© Associated Press

Story filed: 21:27 Monday 5th January 2004

[blam]

Twelve Entire Families Named Among Red Sea Crash Victims

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[Dog Gone]

Late word says there were four Americans on that flight.

[billorites]

"Searchers 'May Have Detected Flight Recorder'"

Well, how inconvenient.

[billorites]

Why would anyone put their family on an Egyptian National airline, let alone an Egyptian Charter airline?

U.S., British, German, Swiss, Israel - Yes

Egypt, Senegal, Bangladesh, Russia, Colombia - No

[Spok]

It's important that the French government determine who is responsible for this, so it can immediately surrender...

[Thinkin' Gal]

The body parts recovered from the sea so far bore no burns, suggesting there was no explosion on the Egyptian chartered Boeing 737, French Deputy Foreign Minister Renaud Muselier said.

Of course not. It just fell apart in the sky, happens every day. Typical mechanical malfunction. Loose rudder, elevator, cockpit, an engine or two... who can keep track of all those bolts and rivets. They just fall off, those bolts. The big parts just drop like flies. No biggie.

[The Dude Abides]

I've flown Avianca (Colombia) a few times. A bit dicey, but those stewardesses....waaaaah....