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A teenager was rescued from the Indian Ocean today after a plane crashed amid fears that everyone else on board has died.
The sole survivor, a 14-year-old girl, was plucked from the sea after the jet vanished during a violent storm last night. Officials had earlier claimed the sole survivor was a five-year-old boy.
Rescuers began pulling bodies out of the sea today but so far none of the other 152 people — 141 passengers and 11 crew — has been recovered alive.
Flight IY626 from Paris, operated by Yemenia airline, was trying to land on the Comoros Islands but crashed just off the coast. The plane, an Airbus A-310, had failed numerous safety tests in France only two years ago.
Dr Halidi Ahmed Abdou, a doctor involved in the rescue, said: “A military doctor on board one of the naval rescue boats called the Mitsamiouli hospital [in the Comoros islands] to say the child had been recovered alive.”
The rescued child is said to be unconscious and being treated in a local hospital. There were at least nine other children on board, including three babies.
Less than a month ago another Airbus crashed into the Atlantic en route to Paris from Brazil, killing all 228 people on board. The Yemeni plane left Charles de Gaulle airport yesterday for Marseille, then flew to Sana'a in Yemen before heading for the Comoros capital of Moroni. It was due to land at 2.30am local time (12.30 BST).
French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said that 66 of the passengers were French. France and the Comoros, 250 miles off the south-east coast of Africa, have enjoyed close ties since the islands achieved independence in 1975, with 200,000 people from Comoros living in mainland France.
Abdul Qader, a Yemeni official, said it was too early to speculate on the reasons for the crash, adding that the flight data recorder had not been found. “The weather was very bad ... the wind was very strong,” he said, adding that the stormy conditions hampered rescue efforts.
France's transport minister Dominique Bussereau said: “The A310 in question was inspected in 2007 by the DGAC (French transport authorities) and they noticed a certain number of faults. The company was not on the blacklist but was subject to stricter checks on our part, and was due to be interviewed shortly by the European Union's safety committee.”
The Comoros, 250 miles off the south-east coast of Africa, are three small volcanic islands: Grande Comore, the main island, Anjouan and Moheli.
Reader views (14)
If the wing or wings were coming off of airbus aircraft they would be grounded.
The Vertical stabilizers are coming off of airbus aircraft (this problem was unheard in the airline industry until the airbus was put in service) resulting in total loss of the aircraft and all aboard. They a not grounded. WHY ?
- Paul, Dallas USA, 13/07/2009 23:21
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The common link is Yemen not Airbus. How do we know this isn't terrorism?
- Real, London, 01/07/2009 09:21
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Nic, just because two entirely different Airbus aircraft were involved in recent accidents does not mean there is a problem with the manufacturer. Just last year there were two major accidents involving Boeing 737 aircaft just 20 days apart, in which almost all on board were killed, yet people were far more rational and didn't jump to conclusions and blame the manufacturer straight away. There can be a million and one reasons why an aircraft goes down, so wait until the respective authorities finish their investigations before opening your mouth.
- Seb, South Africa, 30/06/2009 23:09
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/there is only one acft type I would refuse to get on and that is the DC10, fortunately few left in pax service.
- Ayylyn, Orihuela Costa, 30/06/2009 17:41
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I stand by what I said. Airbus is certainly incorporated under French law and, as Trunk pointed out, its parent EADS is incorporated under Dutch law but it does trade in Euronext in Paris. Considering how Airbus are made and considering their are 2 finishing lines located outside France, who knows where this one was finally assembled. Airbus is not a French plane. And let's get this straight, I happen to have dual nationality (French / British), I am very proud of Airbus but I don't see it as a French only plane. It's a marvellous example of what the European engineers can do when they get together.
And Sandra, rest assured that my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this time. The families of my coutrymen have been harshly hit recently and Nik's comments made my blood boil.
- Ed, London, 30/06/2009 17:34
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As someone else pointed out, the problem is with the airline (maintenance) and, I would add, the fact that they were trying to land at night at a very dangerous airport. The fact that it's an Airbus (not particularly French) has absolutely nothing to do with it!
- A. Cameron, Liege, Belgium, 30/06/2009 17:15
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Please remember that many of the components are made by outside contracters, many of whom make parts for the various aircraft manufacturers. For eg Honeywell and Garmin make electronics that are used in various aircraft. Lets not always point the finger at Boeing or Airbus as the fault may lie elsewhere.
- Rodney, Toronto, Canada, 30/06/2009 16:19
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For professional reasons i´m forced 2 fly sum 150k mls each yr. it´s impossible 2 avoid flying airbusses as the choice of equipment is entirely at the discretion of the airline involved but i keep trying. i´d prefer anytime a 20yo boeing to a new A_sumtin.
- Dominik Von Muehlberg, Cologne, Germany, 30/06/2009 15:24
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I hope this plane sank in shallower water and the black box may be found soon. But who should look for it and at what cost. A big search may be beyond the resources of the Yemen airline Should the Yemen state pay for it? In the case of the Air France plane it seems the combined taxpayers of Brazil and France paid millions for what is a thankless task.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 30/06/2009 15:06
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The root of the problem is at the AIRLINE, not the airframe.
Who is EADS? "The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. (EADS) is a large European aerospace corporation, formed by the merger on 10 July 2000 of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) of Germany, Aérospatiale-Matra of France, and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) of Spain. The company develops and markets civil and military aircraft, as well as communications systems, missiles, space rockets, satellites, and related systems. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands in Schiphol-Rijk and operates under Dutch law."
- Trunk, US, 30/06/2009 15:00
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Dear Ed from London, I think you'll find that Nik from Fulham was referring to Airbus Industrie, which is based in Toulouse. If you look in an atlas you will find it to be located in France. That is where the Airbus aircraft are assembled and where the central design team resides. If you look on something called "the Internet" you can read all about it.
See how easy it is to be sarcastic?
- Bob From Basildon, Basildon, England, 30/06/2009 13:39
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Sorry, I meant Ed. Doh!
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts, 30/06/2009 13:30
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Nik, I understand what your saying, and bow to your superior knowledge, but perhaps these Airbus planes need to be looked at to check there is not an latent defect. I think we owe it to the families of these who have died in these two terrible tragedies within such a short timeframe.
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts, 30/06/2009 12:54
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EDITED by admin @ 9.51 on June 30 2009
Spirit/Tone
- Mr. Boeing, Seatle, USA, 30/06/2009 09:26
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