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Breaking News

Twenty-One People Feared Dead After Commuter Plane Crash in Pennsylvania

Aired May 21, 2000 - 1:59 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: More now on the crash of that twin- engine commuter plane which went down about two and a half hours ago near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. On the phone with us is Wy Gowell, the assistant director of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania Airport.

Can you tell us what happened? Was the plane headed your way?

WY GOWELL, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE INTL. AIRPORT: Yes, all we know now -- we have very limited information that the -- there was a charter flying into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport due to drop off passengers from a trip to Atlantic City. The aircraft apparently attempted to make a approach and land at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and due to the weather did -- made a go around and then developed apparently some mechanical difficulty.

At any rate, he dropped below the radar coverage of our facility and that was the -- we did not hear from that aircraft again. And we do now have a confirmed accident site, as you know, and we are -- the people at the site, the local crash-fire rescue, and emergency units and the county emergency management agency is dealing with that accident site and have been for some time.

RANDALL: We have heard that there were 19 aboard the plane. Can you confirm that?

GOWELL: We do have a manifest indicating that there were 19 passengers on the aircraft and apparently two crew members.

RANDALL: Can you tell us what kind of aircraft it was?

GOWELL: I'm actually not sure right now what it was, a twin- engine turbo prop-type airplane, either a Jet Stream or a Beach 1900, we're not sure of that right now.

RANDALL: And the first priority at the crash site at the moment?

GOWELL: Well, the first priority is obviously -- the immediate reaction is if there is a fire, is to deal with that and then to find the people.

RANDALL: Any word that there may be survivors? GOWELL: I don't know that now. We don't have a direct tie-in from the airport center, operations center to the crash site. We do not have a direct tie right now.

RANDALL: Mr. Gowell, thank you very much.

GOWELL: Yes, sir.

RANDALL: We'll hear now from Ron Rome, who is the 911 manager in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Rome, can you hear me? Mr. Rome, are you there?

RON ROME, LUZERNE COUNTY 911 MANAGER: Yes, I am, I'm here.

RANDALL: Can you add anything to what we have just learned about the crash, the crash site?

ROME: No, as Mr. Gallow had said, you know, we received -- we have a plan, an emergency response plan that's put together with the Luzerne County Board of Commissioners and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. We had received word approximately 11:26 a.m. this morning that there was a plane en route to the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton International Airport experiencing mechanical difficulty.

Again, that emergency response plan was immediately activated with all appropriate personnel, fire, police, and ambulance being sent to the airport. After a short period of time, it was apparent that the plane did not make it to the airport. At that time, an additional phase of that plan was put together where we dispatched local agencies along the proposed flight pattern.

RANDALL: Mr. Rome...

ROME: Yes.

RANDALL: ... we are now hearing that 21 are confirmed dead, 19 passengers and a crew of two. Have you heard that?

ROME: Again, I can't confirm the numbers. We originally had heard from the airport the 19 passengers. I can tell you that we do have people on scene. From the initial reports on scene, our fire, police, and ambulance personnel are reporting that there are no survivors.

RANDALL: Mr. Rome, thank you very much, we hope to talk to you again a bit later.

A twin-engine commuter plane down near Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, apparently 21 dead, 19 passengers and a crew of two. No survivors.

I'm Gene Randall in Washington, now to "CNN WORLD REPORT."

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