Venezuela plane crash leaves 15 dead, 36 survived the blaze
A plane crash in Venezuela carrying 47 passengers has left 15 people dead but 36 others unbelievably survived, when it burst into flames as it hit the ground near a steel works company owned by Sidor, in the mainland state if Bolivar.
The plane, carrying 47 passengers and four crew left yesterday from the Venezuelan Caribbean resort island of Margerita. The pilot alerted air traffic control that something was wrong moments before the catastrophe.
Transport and Communications Minister Francisco Garces said "Given the condition of the plane, I think we were very lucky."
The Conviasa Airlines ATR-42-300 plane went doen about 10 kilometres from Puerto Ordaz on the Ornico River. It split in half and caught fire before slamming into the ground. Most of the survivors have sustained burns and trauma, but none were in critical condition.
Officials said the quick response by the emergency services after the pilot warned air traffic control that the flight was in trouble prevented a higher death toll. Rescuers reportedly arrived at the scene immediately with medical helicopters to fly the injured.
"There's been a miracle here," said Bolivar state Governor Francisco Rangel Gomez.
President Hugo Chavez said in a statement "All of us in Venezuela are in mourning, heavy with sadness for this tragedy," he said, and announced three days of official mourning across the South American country.
Gomez said the pilot appeared to have "lost control" of the plane and radioed a control tower to warn that the flight was having technical difficulties.
The aircraft manufacturer, ATR, said it is investigating the accident. The exact cause is still unidentified.
The last major air accident in Venezuela was in February 2008 and also involved an ATR-42-300, which crashed in the Andes, killing 46.
