Posted on 08/02/2005 1:28:25 PM PDT by mitchbert
Plane on fire at Pearson airport Last updated
Aug 2 2005 05:23 PM EDTCBC News
An Air France jet with as many as 252 people aboard has skidded off a runway while landing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, bursting into flames and sending thick black smoke pouring into the air.
There is no word on the condition of the passengers and crew members on board the A340, with the plane still burning more than an hour after the 3:50 p.m. crash.
The airplane was trying to land in bad weather when it skidded off the runway just metres from one of Toronto's busiest roads, Highway 401.
The plane is capable of transporting up to 300 passengers and crew. One news service reported the flight to be Air France flight number 358, a Paris-based flight which had earlier stopped in Montreal, and was carrying about 230 people.
"There was quite a downpour. The visibility was really bad, with lots of lightning," said John Findlay, a CBC News journalist who was at the airport at the time of the accident.
The jet crashed through barriers and ended up in a small ravine at the far west end of the airport, the fuselage tipped down and the aircraft's tail in the air.
"An Air France plane landing on runway 24 went off the end of the runway in the area of Convair Drive and the 401 area in Mississauga," Peel police Sgt. Glyn Griffiths said at about 4:30 p.m.
The incident happened as most operations at the airport were halted because of severe thunderstorms in the area.
All incoming flights have been rerouted from Toronto to Ottawa.
Karl Rove came first. He is the alpha and the omega.
'Bout a nine on the ole tension scale there, Silas....
Man I missed your post. DWF was news story this morning locally.
LAX shooter was terrorist (duh!)
But the guy that shushed me was correct - this isn't the place to discuss this.
Well first the earth cooled then the dinasours roamed
I don't mind going if its my time. But what if it's the pilot's time?!
LOL! There too.
"This is the internet. If you can't have wild ass speculations here, where the hell are you supposed to have them?! You throw down your theory and you take your chances. And nobody gets hurt."
THANK YOU!
News conference getting ready to start.
You celebrate Thanksgiving in July? The shooted didnt say anything, he was dead.
If it started smoking/burning soon after landing, I'm fearful a lot of them didn't make it.
Watching CNN International, and they seem oblivious to any knowledge of anyone surviving,,,Just a lot of jabbering about nothing.
Live pics but nothing about survivors.
Why the heck would they try to land in weather like that?
Thanks for the reply.
I guess we wait...
Guy on Fox from Global TV said 254 on board - 2 ambulance buses seen leaving the area with plane passengers?
Eyewitness says the plane broke apart during a 62mph wind shear. Broke apart in 1/3 and 2/3 pieces.
Feeling guilty for chuckling at that one...
FoxNews eyewitness reported seeing 2 busloads of passengers being taken from the scene. [Good news]
You're right - July 4th. Wrong holiday!
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