KENYA: Kenya Airways officials say wreckage of aircraft that went missing with 114 people board found on a mangrove swamp near Cameroon's Douala airport

The wreckage of a Kenya Airways plane that crashed with 114 people on board was found in a swamp a short distance from Cameroon's Douala airport, officials said, but there was no word of any survivors. Kenya Airways said on Sunday (May 6) that the wreckage of the aircraft that went missing with 114 people board was found on a mangrove swamp near Cameroon's Douala airport. The officials said there was no word of any survivors. The Boeing 737-800, which was carrying passengers from more than 20 countries, vanished on Saturday (May 5) shortly after taking off from Douala for Nairobi in torrential rain. The wreckage was found 20 km (12 miles) southeast of the airport along the plane's flight path, Kenya Airways said. "Kenya airways regrets to confirm that its flight Kq 507 from Douala to Nairobi has been located on a mangrove swap 20 kilometres south east of Douala on the planned flight path that now confirms that the aircraft crashed the reason apparently was not sighted much earlier we are told by people on sight that the aircraft is covered by a canopy of trees and therefore its not easy to see the aircraft from air," said the airlines Chief Executive officer Titus Naikuni. It was more than 100 km (60 miles) from the zone where radar-equipped helicopters, ground search parties and villagers on motorbikes had spent much of the weekend combing thick tropical forest. Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Titus Naikuni said in Nairobi that local fishermen had led rescuers to the crash site. "We have no confirmed information as yet about survivors or any possible casualties the search and rescue team which includes the KQ team is still at the accident scene," Naikuni added. He also gave no details as to why the plane might have crashed. Kenya, France and the United States assisted with the search and officials from plane manufacturer Boeing and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board were due in Cameroon to help investigations, the airline said. The six-month-old aircraft was carrying 105 passengers and nine crew, most of them African with others from China, India, Europe and elsewhere. The flight had originated in Ivory Coast. Kenya Airways has three 737-800s and Naikuni said they had not decided whether to ground the others.

ITN Source | May 7, 2007

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