Posted on 10/06/2005 4:33:40 PM PDT by jdm
A cargo plane carrying small amounts of flu virus crashed on railway tracks near Winnipeg's city center Thursday, killing the pilot but missing buildings and vehicles, authorities said.
The research samples of frozen influenza and herpes viruses were destroyed in the crash and ensuing fire along with other freight, Federal Express spokeswoman Karen Cooper said.
She said the Cessna 208 was owned by Morningstar Air Express of Edmonton and was under contract to FedEx.
Morningstar spokesman Don Boettcher didn't immediately identify the woman piloting the aircraft. "She'd been with us for about five years," he said, without providing further details.
The plane took off from the Winnipeg airport en route to Thunder Bay, Ontario, at about 5:45 a.m. and traveled about four miles southeast of the airport before it requested a return, Transportation Safety Board investigator David Ross said.
"The aircraft then descended below radar coverage and contact was lost with the aircraft," Ross said.
"It has crashed on railway tracks and does not appear to have collided with any other objects, houses or cars," police Sgt. Shelly Glover said.
Winnipeg police spokeswoman Carolyn Kwiatek said there was no damage to the surrounding area from the fire. The crash did tie up traffic on nearby streets during the morning rush, but no accidents or injuries resulted.
In its cargo were six vials of virus samples being sent to Thunder Bay for research, Cooper said.
Although the samples were labeled dangerous goods, they weren't considered hazardous at the crash site since all the cargo was destroyed in the blaze, Cooper said.
Police Sgt. Kelly Dennison said weather may have been a factor. Reports suggested light snow and mist in the area, temperatures near the freezing mark, moderate winds and about four miles of visibility.
Ross said the plane probably wasn't carrying a flight data recorder.
sounds like the opening of a movie
"Although the samples were labeled dangerous goods, they weren't considered hazardous at the crash site since all the cargo was destroyed in the blaze, Cooper said."
Whatever they say!
The AP almost sounds disappointed that no buildings or vehicles were hit.
This is just the cover story for the mysterious illness that is causing deaths in Canada. /tin-foil hat
I saw one of those commercials for genital herpes, and couldn't help but think, "Gee, where can I get some of that?"
I thought the same thing or a good book.
Female pilot, cold winter time setting, carrying lethal doses of flu virus. Plane disappears from radar and bursts into flames. Did the virus burn up in the plane? Did the pilot parachute out with the virus samples to sell them to terrorists? Did the vials even make it onto the plane?
Wait, train tracks.....Canada, reminds me of the movie Narrow Margin with Gene Hackman. Different plot line but a great adventure.
All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain
We can be like they are
Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity...
Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday... Like Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday... Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday...We can be like they are
Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Love of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear we couldn't go on
The door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared
Saying don't be afraid
Come on baby... And we had no fear
And we ran to him... Then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodbye
We had become like they are
We had taken his hand
We had become like they are
Come on baby...don't fear the reaper
Sadly, this is what happens when plains think they're trains.
Was there a large ball of fire? That is how we kill them in the microbiology lab.
-This is just the cover story for the mysterious illness that is causing deaths in Canada. /tin-foil hat-
Dang, that was my thought exactly./hat firmly in place
What do they have out in Thunder Bay - a facility like the one in "Andromeda Strain"?
This could definitely use more cowbell...
We need more Cowbell!
It does sound like a movie opening – and Fed Ex plane? Where’s Tom Hanks?
Seriously, the article doesn’t mention what type of influenza virus the plane carried. I watched a Nova program about the 1918 flu and recall they found the graves of some soldiers from that time who died in Alaska of the flu and thought that the virus could be extracted from their frozen remains, thawed, activated and studied.
Some scientists thought it was not a good idea due to the risk of accidental release and exposure, but others thought it should be studied to learn to understand why it that strain was so deadly and how to make a flu shot to combat a similar pandemic outbreak in the future. Sorta dammed if they do dammed if they don’t.
lol
I'm old enough to remember when FedEx was doing well enough to afford jets. I guess the Kinko's merger isn't working out as well as they hoped.
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