229 die in Swissair crash

HALIFAX (Canada), Sept 3 (AP) — A Swissair jetliner has crashed off Nova Scotia, killing all 229 persons on board after its pilot attempted an emergency landing at Halifax international airport.

Swissair said today that the plane’s 215 passengers — two of them babies — and 14 crew members were killed in last night’s crash. The Geneva-bound flight 111 left New York’s Kennedy International Airport at 8.17 p.m. (local time).

A flotilla of Coast Guard and fishing boats searching in the darkness early today found only bodies and human remains at the crash site in the ocean.

Witnesses reported a wide area of ocean littered by debris from the downed aircraft, including an oil slick and life preservers, all illuminated by searchlights from Coast Guard cutters, helicopters and overflying aircraft.

Canadian rescue official Dan Bedell said 18 bodies had been recovered as dawn approached.

Sixteen of the dead were brought aboard a navy supply vessel, HCMS Perserver, which was co-ordinating the operation. Fishermen in small fishing boats brought the two others to shore at Peggy’s Cove.

Area hospitals, which had been alerted to prepare for victims, sent their extra staff home early on Thursday morning as hopes for survivors diminished.

There were no initial indications of terrorism in the crash, the White House said today. The US National Transportation Safety Board sent a team of 10 persons to help the Canadian authorities.

According to NTSB spokesman Matt Furman, the investigators are going strictly as support to their Canadian counterparts.

At a news conference in Zurich, Swissair spokeswoman Beatrice Tschanz said the passengers were thought to be mostly Swiss, many from the French-speaking west of the country. One of the crew members was an American from Swissair partner Delta, Ms Tschanz said.

The flight deck crew reported smoke in the cockpit and attempted an emergency landing at Halifax airport. About 48 km south of the airport, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens, Ms Tschanz said.

"We have no survivors. We do have one unfortunate victim so far,’’ said Lt-Cmdr Glenn Chamberlain of the Halifax Rescue Coordination Centre, as rescue efforts continued today in the inky darkness off Nova Scotia’s coast.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 declared an emergency about an hour into the flight, Commander Chamberlain said.

The three-engine plane also dumped fuel over the nearby St. Margaret’s bay before crashing, an airport worker said.

Witnesses reported hearing sputtering sounds before a thunderous crash.

"The motors were still going, but it was the worst-sounding deep groan that I’ve ever heard,’’ said Claudia Zinck-Gilroy.

Debris from the aircraft was found off Clam Island between Blandford, about 32 km southwest of Halifax, and the popular tourist destination of Peggy’s Cove, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said.

Local fishermen were called to the area of the crash to help with the rescue operation.

Four rescue planes and four helicopters were in the area as well as the navy supply ship, Canadian navy spokeswoman Tracy Simoneau said.