Another Airbus goes down

[lefty]

Boy survives deadly Libyan plane crash

http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00639/-LIBYA-SAFRICA-A_639682gm-a.jpg A closeup shows the tail of an Afriqiyah Airways passenger plane which crashed during landing at Tripoli airport on May 12, 2010. An eight-year-old Dutch boy was the sole survivor when a Libyan plane arriving from South Africa exploded on landing at the Libyan capital's airport, killing more than 100 people, officials said. There was no immediate indication of the cause of the crash, which occurred as the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330 plane was landing after a flight from Johannesburg at around 6 am (0400 GMT). The Libyan airline listed 93 passengers and 11 crew members on board its flight 8U771. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP/Getty Images)(Photo Credit should Read /AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images

Dutch boy is only survivor of flight from South Africa operated by Libyan airline Afriqiyah



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Tripoli — The Associated Press Published on Wednesday, May. 12, 2010 3:19AM EDT Last updated on Wednesday, May. 12, 2010 10:14AM EDT

A Libyan Afriqiyah Airways plane with 104 people on board crashed Wednesday on approach to Tripoli's airport, killing at least 96 people. A 10-year-old Dutch boy was the only known survivor, Libya's transport minister said.
Libyan state television showed a large field scattered with small and large pieces of plane debris and dozens of police and rescue workers with surgical masks and gloves, some of them carrying at least one body away. They gathered small personal items such as wallets and cell phones from the wreckage.
Others sifted through debris — some of it still smouldering — including a flight recorder and green seats with television screens on them. A large piece of the plane's tail was visible, bearing Afriqiyah's brightly coloured logo with the numbers “9.9.99,” a reference to the date of the founding of the African Union.
Transport Minister Mohammed Ali Zaidan said 96 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage. Libya's official JANA news agency quoted him as saying a Dutch boy has survived the crash, but did not say anything on his condition.
Rescue workers were looking for more bodies, Mr. Zaidan said.
In Amsterdam, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said dozens of Dutch citizens were aboard the plane and confirmed a Dutch boy survived. The exact number of Dutch victims was not known, he said.
The Airbus A330-200 arriving from Johannesburg, South Africa was approaching the airport in the Libyan capital Tripoli when it crashed at around 6 a.m. (11 p.m. EDT Tuesday) There was no immediate word on the cause, according to a statement by the airlines posted on its website.
Afriqiyah said flight 771 left Johannesburg at 1 a.m. Wednesday (8 p.m. EDT Tuesday).
“Afriqiyah Airways announces that our flight 771 had an accident during landing at Tripoli International airport,” the statement said. “At this moment, we have no information concerning possible casualties or survivors. Our information is that there were 93 passenger and 11 crew aboard. Authorities are conducting the search and rescue mission.”
The airlines later issued a second statement saying a search-and-rescue operation at the crash site “has now been completed and casualties have been moved to various hospitals.”
The flight was scheduled to continue on to London's Gatwick airport after the stop in Tripoli.
Weather conditions over Tripoli's international airport were good on Wednesday, with 4.8-kilometre visibility, scattered clouds at 3,000 metres and winds of only 4.8 kilometres per hour.
Daniel Hoeltgen, spokesman for the European Aviation Safety Agency said Afriqiyah has undergone 10 recent safety inspections at European airports, with no significant safety findings. He said a team of French crash investigators was already on its way to Tripoli.
“We are currently talking to Airbus and with the French accident investigator BEA, which will be involved in the investigation,” said Mr. Hoeltgen. “We will lend our support if this is required by authorities in charge.”
Afriqiyah Airways is not included on the European Union's list of banned airlines. The list has nearly 300 carriers deemed by the EU not to meet international safety standards.
According to initial reports, the plane crashed as it neared the threshold of Tripoli International's main east-west runway, while preparing to touch down from the east.
The main runway at Tripoli Airport is 3,600 meters long. According to international airport guides, it is not equipped with an Instrument Landing System. This all-weather, precision approach system guides descending planes down to the threshold of the runway.
But it does have two other systems that many other airports use worldwide — a high frequency omnidirectional radio system that pilots use to navigate their aircraft, and a non-directional beacon that also helps guide planes into the airport.
Afriqiyah Airways operates an all Airbus fleet. It was founded in April 2001 and is fully owned by the Libyan government.

[Drachen]

being the only survivor of THAT crash. If comics have taught me anythign, this kid is going to grow up to be some kind of crime fighter or something.

[The Gemini Method]

being the only survivor of THAT crash. If comics have taught me anythign, this kid is going to grow up to be some kind of crime fighter or something.

Or the subject of a series of poorly done weak horror movies in which death tries to extract revenge in some incillary boorish manner.

Back on subject; I wonder if the whole Airbus/Boeing competition has left some major flaws in the Airbus' design and construction. I've flown on a couple and well, this doesn't bode well for any future travel.

[lefty]

being the only survivor of THAT crash. If comics have taught me anythign, this kid is going to grow up to be some kind of crime fighter or something.
Or that TV show, I think it was called "Chance", with that kid who is the only survivor of a plance crash, because he is extremely lucky in life

[blizz]

i took an airbus 330 to italy a few years ago....i'm NEVER flying in one again

[lefty]

i took an airbus 330 to italy a few years ago....i'm NEVER flying in one again
But do we get to chose the plane?

I don't think so

[Slomo]

Airbus still has a better safety record than Boeing.

If you want to do something for your safety chose your airline carefully and not the plane.

[lefty]

Airbus still has a better safety record than Boeing.

If you want to do something for your safety chose your airline carefully and not the plane.
Historically or recently?

Because over the last few years, it looks like Airbus has taken the cake

(but I could be wrong tho)

[sonic21]

Historically or recently?

Because over the last few years, it looks like Airbus has taken the cake

(but I could be wrong tho)

both.

And why the hate for airbus, lefty? You keep posting all the airbus crash.

[lefty]

both.

And why the hate for airbus, lefty? You keep posting all the airbus crash.
No

[Sisk]

But do we get to chose the plane?

I don't think so

When you book a flight they list the plane you'll be on.

[BlackSwordsMan]

anyone have the twitter of the guy that died? someone on the plane wrote on their twitter that the plane was going down

[The Gemini Method]

I think there is a website or some agency where you can check the performance record of a particular airplane. I don't know if that's true, but it would be something I'd take into consideration if I were to fly. I wonder, though, how fluid and updated such information would be. Also, the airlines in question should always be a reputable one. That's why I don't fly the small carriers if I can avoid them.

[TheMACHINE]

the sole survivor is UNBREAKABLE.

[Bukefal]

I think there is a website or some agency where you can check the performance record of a particular airplane. I don't know if that's true, but it would be something I'd take into consideration if I were to fly. I wonder, though, how fluid and updated such information would be. Also, the airlines in question should always be a reputable one. That's why I don't fly the small carriers if I can avoid them.

Yeah there is a website where you can check the airline company to see if they are on that so called black list.

But this airline wasnt on the list.

Anyway, its a tragedy. And only that 10 year old Dutch boy who survived, that's a little miracle in a disaster. Imagine if you were the kid, how it would feel, damn smh. Such a disaster, suddenly in some foreign country in the hospital operated, he lost his brother his mother and father just like that and now he is alone.

Anyway, the Dutch government is sending a plane today with his aunt and uncle on it, they are going to take him home.

[Drachen]

anyone have the twitter of the guy that died? someone on the plane wrote on their twitter that the plane was going down

That would have sucked if they were righting the plane and then the electronic interference from his Twitter device being on when it wasn't supposed to caused them to lose control again for the final descent.

[Trainwreck2100]

the sole survivor is UNBREAKABLE.

yeah, except his legs are broken as fuck. What probably happened was his parent got in front of him and took the brunt of the force