BREAKING NEWS
The Afriqiyah Airways flight from Johannesburg to Gatwick, UK, crashed in Libya, killing at least 104 people on board
The Airbus 330 carried at least 93 passengers, and 11 crew. Most of the passengers are believed to have been British and South African nationals, while the crew were reported to be Libyans.
Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330 – 200 like the one that crashed in Tripoli earlier today. Source: Afriqiyah Airways website. Image may be subject to copyright.
“Afriqiyah Airways announce that our flight 8U771 had an accident during landing at Tripoli International airport,” the airline said on its website.
“At this moment we have no information concerning possible casualties or survivors. Our information is that there were 93 passengers and 11 crew aboard. The competent authorities are conducting the search and rescue mission.”
The initial news of the crash was released by Al Arabiya television, citing official sources, Reuters said.
The statement posted on the airline’s website reads:
Afriqiyah Flight 771 crash
Afriqiyah Airways ,Announce that our flight 8U771 had an accident during landing at Tripoli International airport at 04:00 UTC. (06:00 AM Tripoli time) Today Wednesday 12 May.
At this moment we have no information concerning possible casualties or survivors. Our information is that were 93 passenger and 11 crew aboard. The competent authorities are conducting the search and rescue mission.
Further statements will be announced in due course.
UPDATE 12 MAY 2010 – 11:00UTC
- Sixty-one of the passengers were Dutch nationals
- A Dutch boy is said to be the sole known survivor (unconfirmed reports, however, Libyan Transport Minister was quoted as saying that the Dutch boy was being treated for minor injuries).
- Relative seeking information on passengers should contact: From Libya:0213341181 AND Intrnational:+44 203 3552737 Afriqiyah Airways website said.
- The cause of crash is as yet unknown, however, a Libyan security official told news agency AFP: “It exploded on landing and totally disintegrated [very close to the runway.]”
- Weather at the time of crash was “sunny and clear ” report say.
- The air distance between Johannesburg and Tripoli is 6,730km (4,181 miles).
Utter carnage
Rescue teams search the site of the Libyan Afriqiyah Airways plane crash in Tripoli, Libya Wednesday, May 12, 2010. A Libyan Afriqiyah Airways plane with 104 people on board crashed on landing Wednesday at the airport in the Libyan capital Tripoli and a search and rescue operation was under way, the airlines said. (AP Photo/Abdel Meguid al-Fergany). Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice.
Airbus Crash Stats
If you really have to fly because your life depends on it [sic,] and if you are flying an Airbus, then fly on odd days of the month because the Airbus is statistically twice more likely to crash on even days!
Shame on Google, Shame!
Fire-Earth Moderators verily believe that some of the victims of the doomed flight might have still been alive today had the information concerning the safety record of Airbus 330 that is posted on this blog, but is invariably filtered and buried by Google, reached them.
Related Links:
- Airlines & Aviation Industry, Airline Safety, Air Travel …
- Airbus Crashes in Comoros
- Second Airbus Plunges into Water
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