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140 dead in Madrid plane crash
(UK) Times Online ^
| August 20, 2008
| Philippe Naughton and Hannah Strange
Posted on 08/20/2008 8:12:53 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
Some 140 people were killed today when a packed passenger jet caught fire and overshot the runway as it tried to take off from Madrid airport, official sources said.
The Spanair plane, with 173 passengers and crew aboard, crashed and broke apart as it tried to take off from Terminal 4 at the Barajas airport. It was heading for Las Palmas airport on the island of Gran Canaria.
The Reuters news agency quoted sources in the emergency services as saying that all but about 25 of those aboard had been killed - far ahead of initial death tolls given by officials.
The Spanish Cabinet was convened for an emergency session to discuss the catastrophe.
Relatives of those aboard the plane soon began arriving at the airport, where a spokesman said that a room had been set aside for them and psychological counselling was on offer.
The airport, Spain's main hub, was closed as firefighters aboard 11 engines tried to tackle a blaze on the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aerospace; aviation; madrid; planecrash; spain
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
"Spanish journalist Carlota Fomina told CNN said she had spoken to one of the passengers who had been on board the plane at the time of the crash who described an explosion and fire at the back of the plane."CNN.com: At least 40 killed in Madrid plane crash
To: rightwingintelligentsia
ok. Question.
There isn’t any chance someone leaving from Madrid today and heading for Pittsburgh would have any reason to be on that plane?
right?
3
posted on
08/20/2008 8:22:38 AM PDT
by
Scotswife
To: rightwingintelligentsia
I've seen the toll go from 120 to 40 to 20 ... hopefully it's the lower figures.
Prayers for all those onboard.
4
posted on
08/20/2008 8:22:57 AM PDT
by
cdbull23
(What's going on in my brain? Check it out: www.cainsbrain.com)
To: Scotswife
There isn’t any chance someone leaving from Madrid today and heading for Pittsburgh would have any reason to be on that plane? right?Doubtful. I understand the plane was heading for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
5
posted on
08/20/2008 8:24:09 AM PDT
by
jalisco555
("My 80% friend is not my 20% enemy" - Ronald Reagan)
To: jalisco555
6
posted on
08/20/2008 8:25:11 AM PDT
by
Scotswife
To: Scotswife
Is someone you know flying in from Madrid?
To: WhistlingPastTheGraveyard
explosion and fire at the back ... engines at the back.
8
posted on
08/20/2008 8:26:10 AM PDT
by
NonValueAdded
(College kid: "Do you have a minute for Obama?" NVA: "Not now or ever.")
To: Scotswife
There isn’t any chance someone leaving from Madrid today and heading for Pittsburgh would have any reason to be on that plane? right?MD82s don't fly trans-oceanic routes. Not enough range.
9
posted on
08/20/2008 8:26:26 AM PDT
by
buccaneer81
(Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
To: Scotswife
To: Scotswife
Madrid airport is shut down now. Maybe he/she is still there?
11
posted on
08/20/2008 8:27:03 AM PDT
by
jalisco555
("My 80% friend is not my 20% enemy" - Ronald Reagan)
To: Scotswife
And Spanair doesn’t fly outside of Europe.
12
posted on
08/20/2008 8:27:58 AM PDT
by
buccaneer81
(Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
To: rightwingintelligentsia
13
posted on
08/20/2008 8:28:30 AM PDT
by
NonValueAdded
(College kid: "Do you have a minute for Obama?" NVA: "Not now or ever.")
To: cdbull23
>>>...hopefully it's the lower figures. <<<
Unfortunately the toll has been reported in the reverse order from what you hope....it was initially 20 and is now 140.
Prayers for all>
To: rightwingintelligentsia
Heard report that 19 people have been brought to a local hospital
15
posted on
08/20/2008 8:31:16 AM PDT
by
nuconvert
(Obama - Preferred by 4 out of 5 Dictators & Terrorists)
To: Scotswife
Anybody flying to the US from Madrid today might be delayed, but otherwise ok. Most US-bound flights leave in the morning or early afternoon, and the crash didn’t occur until 2:15 or so, meaning that most US bound flyers would already have left. The plane that crashed was going to the Canary Islands.
16
posted on
08/20/2008 8:31:19 AM PDT
by
livius
To: livius
17
posted on
08/20/2008 8:36:29 AM PDT
by
Publius6961
(You're Government, it's not your money, and you never have to show a profit.)
To: rightwingintelligentsia; microgood; liberallarry; cmsgop; shaggy eel; RayChuang88; Larry Lucido; ...
To: Paleo Conservative
Wow, when I posted that pic I didn’t intend to set up a before and after scenario. Prayers for the survivors and the loved ones of all the passengers and crew.
19
posted on
08/20/2008 8:41:33 AM PDT
by
NonValueAdded
(College kid: "Do you have a minute for Obama?" NVA: "Not now or ever.")
To: nuconvert
I heard about the 19 injuries and thought that was it. I had no idea about fatalities and put the Olympics back on.
Bad news.
20
posted on
08/20/2008 8:47:02 AM PDT
by
BallyBill
(Serial Hit-N-Run poster)
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