NationStates Jolt Archive


Madrid Plane Crash Kills At Least 45

Kyronea
20-08-2008, 17:18
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7572643.stm

Smoke rising from the airport in Madrid

At least 45 people have been killed after a passenger plane swerved off the runway at Madrid's Barajas airport, Spanish officials say.

Many others were hurt when the Spanair plane bound for Gran Canaria left the runway with 166 passengers and six crew on board, just after 1445 (1245 GMT).

There were reports of a fire in the left engine during take-off. TV footage showed smoke billowing from the craft.

Helicopters and fire trucks were called out to dump water on to the plane.

Dozens of ambulances went to the scene, and TV footage later showed several people being carried away on stretchers.

BBC journalist Stephanie McGovern, who is at the airport, said several planes had been seen taking off since the crash.

But she added that the airport was closed and only emergency crews and staff were being allowed into the building.

"Helicopters are continually heading to the scene, dropping lots of water... The smoke has really died down now, things seem to be more under control," she said.

"I've seen around 50 ambulances. They're still coming and going, so there may still be more casualties."

Spanish journalist Manuel Moleno, who was near the area when the accident happened, told the BBC the plane had "crashed into pieces".

"We heard a big crash. So we stopped and we saw a lot of smoke," he said.

There are conflicting accounts about the number of deaths, with some reports suggesting most of the passengers on the plane may be dead.

Mr Moleno said he had seen as many as 20 people walking away from the wreckage.

The plane, which was destined for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, came down during or shortly after take-off, local media say, quoting aviation authorities.

Witnesses reported that the plane had come to rest in fields near the airport.

"Spanair regrets to confirm that its flight number JK 5022 from Madrid to Las Palmas de Gran Canarias was involved in an accident at Madrid, at 1445 hours local time today," the airline said in a statement.

The aircraft was a MD82, a plane commonly used on short trips around Europe, aviation expert Chris Yates told the BBC.

He said Spanair, a subsidiary of Scandinavian carrier SAS, had a very good safety record. Reports say it was the first crash at Barajas airport, some 13km (8 miles) from central Madrid, since 1983.

I hate plane crashes with a passion, not only because they kill people but because they make me even more nervous to go flying than I already generally tend to feel.

I give my condolences to the families of those killed.
Myrmidonisia
20-08-2008, 17:31
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7572643.stm



I hate plane crashes with a passion, not only because they kill people but because they make me even more nervous to go flying than I already generally tend to feel.

I give my condolences to the families of those killed.

I just saw that reported on the news...The thing about most plane crashes is that you all die and you die pretty quickly. This is certainly the exception.

Something that I always do -- and I'm sure it's a holdover from some training class, or other, is to be very meticulous about how I identify the exits. I pick two exits to use. One in front, one behind. Then I count the number of seats to each exit. That way, I can decide which way to go (closest is better) and count each seatback on my way. I don't trust the "white lights that lead to red lights" as a sure fire way out. I also expect that there will be so much smoke and confusion that counting the seats will be the only way to be sure that I'm making progress toward an exit.

But, most crashes kill everyone and everyone dies pretty quickly, so it's just one more OCD thing that I do...
Nanatsu no Tsuki
20-08-2008, 17:31
That'll make my upcoming trip out of the country a bitch.

People in Barajas are stark still and mute. The general feeling is of shock because Spanair has always been one of the safest to use in Spain. :( The plane hadn't presented any problems while on the tarmac.
Myrmidonisia
20-08-2008, 17:37
That'll make my upcoming trip out of the country a bitch.

People in Barajas are stark still and mute. The general feeling is of shock because Spanair has always been one of the safest to use in Spain. :( The plane hadn't presented any problems while on the tarmac.
I'm pretty sure that Spain has an Aeronautics authority that will investigate. They'll find a cause. It may be a cause that should have been discovered -- that's the most likely outcome, or it may be a cause that could not have been found. In that case, they usually order inspections for all similar aircraft to make sure that the same condition doesn't exist in them, as well. Bad luck just doesn't usually cause airplane crashes in peacetime.

Can one still book passage on a cruise line to cross the Atlantic?
Nanatsu no Tsuki
20-08-2008, 17:39
I'm pretty sure that Spain has an Aeronautics authority that will investigate. They'll find a cause. It may be a cause that should have been discovered -- that's the most likely outcome, or it may be a cause that could not have been found. In that case, they usually order inspections for all similar aircraft to make sure that the same condition doesn't exist in them, as well. Bad luck just doesn't usually cause airplane crashes in peacetime.

Oh, the investigation has already been ordered.

Can one still book passage on a cruise line to cross the Atlantic?

I believe so.
Charlotte Ryberg
20-08-2008, 17:41
The regional authorities told the BBC just now that the death toll may have exceeded 100, but verification is needed although Sky news mentions the estimate.

At time of posting CNN still reports 45, but Al Jazeera quotes 150 dead at their home page. ZDF mentions 100 but reports up to 150 dead.
Myrmidonisia
20-08-2008, 17:45
Oh, the investigation has already been ordered.

I wouldn't expect a conclusion for at least 6 months. They have a lot of work to do and a lot of people to talk to. The capability of accident investigators is amazing, however.


I believe so.
Then, there's your answer. Sail out of Spain.
Nanatsu no Tsuki
20-08-2008, 17:47
I wouldn't expect a conclusion for at least 6 months. They have a lot of work to do and a lot of people to talk to. The capability of accident investigators is amazing, however.

Roughly that would be an estimate of the time we'll have to wait for any conclusions to be drawn. I'm just very sorry for those who lost their lives in this crash and for their families.

Then, there's your answer. Sail out of Spain.

Nah, I'll just book with Iberia. ;)
Myrmidonisia
20-08-2008, 17:53
Roughly that would be an estimate of the time we'll have to wait for any conclusions to be drawn. I'm just very sorry for those who lost their lives in this crash and for their families.



Nah, I'll just book with Iberia. ;)
It is a sad day for a lot of people. And the suddenness makes it all the more difficult to accept.

By the way, I hate flying, too, but not for any of these reasons. It's just too damned inconvenient to sit in an airplane for hours on end.
Hydesland
20-08-2008, 18:39
But, most crashes kill everyone and everyone dies pretty quickly

Huh? From what I've heard the opposite is in fact true.
Wilgrove
20-08-2008, 18:42
This is a horrible tragedy and my thoughts and wishes go out to the family of the victims.

Hopefully we'll know what went wrong soon enough, so that we can prevent such accidents in the future.
TheHIV
20-08-2008, 20:18
Im going to school to become a pilot, hopefully something similar wont happen to me.
Alexandrian Ptolemais
20-08-2008, 21:26
Obviously my condolences to the families of those who died, and my sympathy to those who were injured in this crash.

To those that commented on being nervous about flying planes, remember that airlines have a very good safety record; you are more likely to die crossing the street than in an airline crash. As I see it, Spanair just drew the short straw this time (I am not trying to shrink its significance)
Londim
20-08-2008, 23:45
According to the BBC the number of dead is now at 153. Sad day indeed.
Snafturi
20-08-2008, 23:47
That's why I travel with benzos. Ugh, this makes my air travel next week that much harder. I'm trying really hard not to think to hard about the people, because then I imagine what was going on in their heads, or the heads of the people they left and were going to visit. It's just too sad.
Nanatsu no Tsuki
21-08-2008, 01:26
Sadly, the dead count is close to 200. Every time I take a look at the news, I get sicker. I truly don´t want to know anything else that has to do with this crash... It´s enough. :(
Non Aligned States
21-08-2008, 01:35
But, most crashes kill everyone and everyone dies pretty quickly, so it's just one more OCD thing that I do...

The way I hear it, most who don't die on impact tend to die from smoke inhalation.
Indri
21-08-2008, 08:29
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...HA...HA...HA...HA...hang on a second while I catch my breath...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Funny stuff plane crashes. Too bad it didn't hit a tall building.
Tsaraine
21-08-2008, 08:47
Indri - official warning for trolling. Come on, you know that's trolling, you know it's against the rules; and now you should also know that your next offense will land you in the market for a new nation. Smarten up.

~ Tsar the Mod.
Adunabar
21-08-2008, 10:24
There's only 19 survivors, apparently, all in a bad way. Just before the plane took off they took it off the runway and fiddled round with it, so I'm guessing someone broke something/didn't fix it.