[NYTr] Venezuela Still Searching for Small Plane Lost Off Venez. Coast

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

AP via Google - Jan 7, 3008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRqqwbf2ub_iULvH3BlLX0WZhqnwD8U1BT2G1



Venezuela Searches for Lost Plane

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Search teams in helicopters and boats scoured
the Caribbean Sea on Monday for a plane that crashed off Venezuela's
coast last week, but no signs were seen of the wreckage or 14 people on
board, including eight Italians.

After a fourth day of searching the waters between the Venezuelan
islands of Los Roques and the mainland, rescuers plan to carry their
efforts over into Tuesday and then decide how long to continue the
search, said Gen. Antonio Rivero, chief of Venezuela's emergency
management agency.

"They haven't found any material related to the search so far," Rivero
said by telephone.

The pilot of the twin-engine plane, which took off Friday from Simon
Bolivar International Airport near Caracas, had reported engine trouble
to controllers and said he would attempt an emergency landing near
coral reefs surrounding Los Roques. Authorities say the aircraft
crashed into the sea about 18 miles from the islands.

Helicopters and boats are crisscrossing an area spanning approximately
400 nautical square miles in search of the wreckage, which officials
say could have drifted far in strong currents.

Italy's foreign ministry has confirmed that eight Italians were on
board. Venezuela's emergency management agency said there were also
five Venezuelans on board, including the pilot and co-pilot, as well as
one Swiss man. 

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 


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AP via Intl Herald Tribune - Jan 5, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/05/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Plane-Crash.php


Pilot reported engine trouble as plane crashed off Venezuela with 14
aboard

The Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela: Search teams in helicopters and boats scanned the
Caribbean Sea on Saturday for signs of a plane that crashed off
Venezuela with 14 people on board, including eight Italians and a Swiss
citizen.

After a second day of crisscrossing the area, the teams had yet to
locate the plane but planned to continue the search, said Gen. Antonio
Rivero, chief of the emergency management agency.

The pilot made a distress call reporting engine trouble to the control
tower in Venezuela's Los Roques islands before the twin-engine plane
went down on Friday, according to Luis Diaz, an official in the
emergency management agency.

"He reported that he had engine failure and declared an emergency, and
it was the last message he sent," Diaz said.

Helicopters flew over the zone, while the navy sent a frigate and two
patrol boats. Diaz said private boaters also joined the search.

"There is still a lot of area to cover," Rivero told the Venezuelan
television channel Globovision on Saturday afternoon, saying it was
possible the wreckage could have drifted a considerable distance in the
currents.

Officials said the plane left Simon Bolivar International Airport near
Caracas on Friday morning and hit the sea about 18 miles (29
kilometers) from Los Roques islands, a popular tourism destination with
a national park and world-class scuba diving off white sand beaches.

Italy's foreign ministry confirmed that eight Italians were on board.
Venezuela's emergency management agency said there were also five
Venezuelans on board, including the pilot and co-pilot, as well as one
Swiss man.

Authorities said the plane belonged to Transaven, a small Venezuelan
airline that regularly flies to Los Roques.