ARGENTINA: AUSTRAL AIRLINER CRASHES IN URAGUAY KILLING 75

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Spanish/Nat An Argentinean airliner crashed and exploded in neighbouring Uruguay, killing all 75 people aboard, authorities said on Saturday. The jet had changed course to try to avoid a fierce rainstorm according to an air force spokesman. Distraught relatives received the news at Buenos Aires airport where they were waiting for the flight to arrive. The Austral airlines jet, a DC-9, crashed early on Saturday (0200 GMT) near Nuevo Berlin, about 450 kilometres (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires. Nuevo Berlin is a town in the Uruguayan department of Rio Negro on the banks of the Uruguay River, which separates Argentina and Uruguay. Seventy passengers, including three infants, and five crew members were aboard the flight according to a spokesman for Austral, which is a subsidiary of Aerolineas Argentinas. The air force made an announcement about the crash at Buenos Aires Jorge Newberry domestic airport. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "I have to inform you that the Uruguayan police and Air Force at the site have told us there are no survivors." SUPER CAPTION: Brigadier Juan Manuel Vazquez, Secretary-general Argentine air force Brigadier Vazquez described the crash scene and told reporters the pilot gave no indication anything was wrong in his last communication with air traffic control. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "The plane hit the ground with a very strong impact and its pieces are scattered over a very wide area. Q: Did the plane explode in the air? A: The only thing I can say at this very moment is that the weather conditions were very adverse, because of heavy storms. I can't be more precise but, given the distance, I calculate that the latest contact with the plane was 12 minutes before the crash. Q: And what did the pilot say? A: The recorded tapes indicate that the pilot was completely normal". SUPER CAPTION: Brigadier Juan Manuel Vazquez, Secretary-general Argentine air force More than 100 relatives of the passengers and crew had gathered at Buenos Aires metropolitan airport, waiting for news. The plane had been going from the northern Argentine city of Posadas to Buenos Aires. The confirmation that there were no survivors sent many into shock. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/8e1092147831022a5e50766387b433c3 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork