FEARS OVER SHUTTLEThe Space Shuttle Columbia, has broken up on re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere. A Nasa spokesman said: "Today a lot of astronauts died." The Columbia had a crew of seven.
There has been no official confirmation of the disaster. Nasa lost touch with the Shuttle above Texas.
A Nasa spokesman said: "It appears there has been a catastrophic technical failure."
The spacecraft was due for a scheduled landing at 14:16 GMT at the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. Multiple tails or vapour trails were seen coming from the craft as it broke up over the US.
It is feared that the Shuttle broke up on entry to the Earth's atmosphere when it would be travelling at 12,500mph.
Reports are coming in about debris including some found on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston.
The Shuttle had its first Israeli pilot on this mission, Ilan Ramon, 48. There is no indication that terrorism was involved in this tragedy.
There were two female and five male astronauts on board. The Columbia was the oldest of the Shuttle fleet, built in 1979.
This is the most serious incident involving a shuttle since the 1986 crash of the space shuttle Challenger, which carried seven astronauts.
Regards, Ivan
Why the hell would they even mention that? Are they trying to imply he sabatoged the mission and killed himself and the other astronauts? Whoever wrote that needs to sober up before releasing a news story. This is already enough of a tradegy without injecting nonsense such at that into it. They are virtually suggesting that the dead pilot was a terrorist murderer.