All 20 dead in Tahitian air crash - report
Pastor Dale Morgan
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*All 20 dead in Tahitian air crash - report*
By staff reporters and wires
August 10, 2007 11:04am
AN Air Moorea aircraft crashed today on take-off from the French
Polynesian island of Moorea bound for Tahiti, killing all 20 people
aboard, according to media reports. at least 12 people.
Rescue authorities were at the scene, with initial reports indicating
there were no survivors, the ABC reported.
Twenty people were aboard the Twin Otter turboprop aircraft, which
crashed into a lagoon about 12.15pm local time (8.15am AEST).
"Twelve corpses have been recovered, operations are continuing,'' said
an official.
Radio reports said two members of a European Commission (EC) delegation
may have been on the plane.
It is understood they recently met French Polynesian President Gaston
Tong Sang and were about to return to Europe.
Sandra Rimud from Air Traffic Services in Tahiti said 20 passengers were
on board including the pilot.
"We don't know (why it crashed). We had good weather. The pilot maybe
didn't see so good," she said.
Ms Rimud confirmed two members of the European Commission were booked to
be on the plane.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
"The investigation is under way there now and police are still combing
the area," a police spokesman said.
The island of Moorea is 17km from the South Pacific island of Tahiti. It
is one of French Polynesia's premier tourist destination, particularly
popular this time of year with Australian, New Zealand and American
holidaymakers.
- With AFP