Madrid Airport Horror: 153 Dead

[Gingersnap]

Madrid Airport Horror: 153 Dead

Madrid Air Crash Videos
3:08am UK, Thursday August 21, 2008

A devastating plane crash at Madrid's Barajas airport has left 153 people dead.


Relatives and friends of the crash victims console each other

Just 19 survived the disaster - many of those who died are believed to be tourists and holidaymakers. Twenty children and two babies were on the flight.

Officials in Spain said Spanair Flight JK5022 - bound for Las Palmas - barely made it off the runway before veering into shrubland, breaking up and bursting into flames.

Reporting from Bajaras airport, Sky Correspondent Ian Woods said rescuers faced horrific scenes.

"When you hear the descriptions of what the rescue workers found when they got to the scene of the stricken aircraft, it seems almost incredible that anyone survived a fireball such as this. The focus of the investigation will now be on what exactly happened to that plane in the last few seconds as it reached the end of the runway."

The extent of the tragedy was described by a worker of airport owner AENA who witnessed the disaster. Few people survived the crash

"The plane was totally broken apart, it was all full of bodies," the worker told El Pais newspaper.

Two civil guards returning from the scene of the stricken aircraft told the same newspaper: "It doesn't look anything like a plane - it's horrific - everything is burnt.

"It's the closest to hell that I've seen. The bodies were boiling hot, we burnt ourselves collecting them."



Sky News

[bijou]

This was really shocking, I use Madrid airport to get a Spanair connection most years. Just devastating for all involved.

[LogansPapa]

Some sources are now saying a spool valve in the motor was malfunctioning and overheating on the initial roll-out. Engine failure should have been containable though. This aircraft is designed and pilots train for this eventuality. I would be very surprised if this doesn’t end up being an over-reaction by the aircrew.

[Gingersnap]

This was really shocking, I use Madrid airport to get a Spanair connection most years. Just devastating for all involved.

Is there any information on the survivors?

[LogansPapa]

Nineteen people survived the crash of the Spanair MD-82 flight to the Canary Islands, Spain's worst air disaster in 25 years......

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...gxBRAD92MO2000

Nothing else on their condition.

[hampshirebrit]

One or two survivors had minor injuries. Most of them have 2nd and 3rd degree burns.

There are also the inevitable stories of lucky escapes ... one guy got bumped from the flight because it was overbooked, another was too late for check-in.

Very, very sad.

[megimoo]

One or two survivors had minor injuries. Most of them have 2nd and 3rd degree burns.

There are also the inevitable stories of lucky escapes ... one guy got bumped from the flight because it was overbooked, another was too late for check-in.

Very, very sad.

Those guys would find the nearest bar to stop shaking !

[megimoo]

Is there any information on the survivors?

THREE children have been hailed as the miracles of Madrid after surviving yesterday's plane crash horror.

The youngsters were hauled from the wrangled mess of the jet with two – an eight-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl – suffering just broken legs.

A six-year-old boy suffered serious head injuries.

Just 19 people in total survived after the Spanair holiday jet erupted in a massive fireball on take-off yesterday afternoon. snip
It is thought the thrust reversers, normally only used just as a plane touches down, were deployed on the Spanair MD-82 flight.

"The aircraft broke in half just forward of the engines and seperated into two distinct pieces !"


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1586995.ece