[NYTr] Venezuela Still Searching for Small Plane Lost Off Venez. Coast Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 23:03:05 -0600 (CST) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit AP via Google - Jan 7, 3008 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRqqwbf2ub_iULvH3BlLX0WZhqnwD8U1BT2G1 Venezuela Searches for Lost Plane CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) b Search teams in helicopters and boats scoured the Caribbean Sea on Monday for a plane that crashed off Venezuela's coast last week, but no signs were seen of the wreckage or 14 people on board, including eight Italians. After a fourth day of searching the waters between the Venezuelan islands of Los Roques and the mainland, rescuers plan to carry their efforts over into Tuesday and then decide how long to continue the search, said Gen. Antonio Rivero, chief of Venezuela's emergency management agency. "They haven't found any material related to the search so far," Rivero said by telephone. The pilot of the twin-engine plane, which took off Friday from Simon Bolivar International Airport near Caracas, had reported engine trouble to controllers and said he would attempt an emergency landing near coral reefs surrounding Los Roques. Authorities say the aircraft crashed into the sea about 18 miles from the islands. Helicopters and boats are crisscrossing an area spanning approximately 400 nautical square miles in search of the wreckage, which officials say could have drifted far in strong currents. Italy's foreign ministry has confirmed that eight Italians were on board. Venezuela's emergency management agency said there were also five Venezuelans on board, including the pilot and co-pilot, as well as one Swiss man. B) 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. *** AP via Intl Herald Tribune - Jan 5, 2008 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/05/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Plane-Crash.php Pilot reported engine trouble as plane crashed off Venezuela with 14 aboard The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela: Search teams in helicopters and boats scanned the Caribbean Sea on Saturday for signs of a plane that crashed off Venezuela with 14 people on board, including eight Italians and a Swiss citizen. After a second day of crisscrossing the area, the teams had yet to locate the plane but planned to continue the search, said Gen. Antonio Rivero, chief of the emergency management agency. The pilot made a distress call reporting engine trouble to the control tower in Venezuela's Los Roques islands before the twin-engine plane went down on Friday, according to Luis Diaz, an official in the emergency management agency. "He reported that he had engine failure and declared an emergency, and it was the last message he sent," Diaz said. Helicopters flew over the zone, while the navy sent a frigate and two patrol boats. Diaz said private boaters also joined the search. "There is still a lot of area to cover," Rivero told the Venezuelan television channel Globovision on Saturday afternoon, saying it was possible the wreckage could have drifted a considerable distance in the currents. Officials said the plane left Simon Bolivar International Airport near Caracas on Friday morning and hit the sea about 18 miles (29 kilometers) from Los Roques islands, a popular tourism destination with a national park and world-class scuba diving off white sand beaches. Italy's foreign ministry confirmed that eight Italians were on board. Venezuela's emergency management agency said there were also five Venezuelans on board, including the pilot and co-pilot, as well as one Swiss man. Authorities said the plane belonged to Transaven, a small Venezuelan airline that regularly flies to Los Roques. * ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us Our main website: http://www.blythe.org List Archives: http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ Subscribe: http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr =================================================================