The broken fuselage of a Caribbean Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 is seen after it crashed at the end of the runway at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Timehri, Guyana, Saturday July 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Jules Gibson)
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – A jet that took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday crashed and broke in two early Saturday morning while trying to land in Guyana with 163 people on board.
No one was killed but several people were injured when the Caribbean Airlines Boeing 737-800 apparently overshot the 7,400-foot runway at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in rainy weather, barely missing a 200-foot ravine.
Officials were starting to probe the cause of the crash even as they marveled at the lack of fatalities.
“We must be the luckiest country and luckiest set of people in the world to escape so lightly,” said Health Minister Leslie Ramsammy, who said more than 30 people were taken to the hospital. Only three of those had to be admitted for a broken leg, bumps, cuts and bruises.
George Nicholas, Caribbean Airlines chairman, told reporters that officials with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board are scheduled to arrive Sunday in Guyana to take over the investigation.
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3 Comments
will thank god know 1 was injured cause that plane looks like it was totaled completely demolished in that picture above.its a maracle anyone got out alive and all thank god.
July 31, 2011 at 5:06 pm
This airline has an excellent safety record, it will indeed be interesting. From what I have heard, this airport had a very serious lag in their emergency response. That needs to be addressed. There are standards, and this response does not seem close to remotely meeting those stadards.
July 31, 2011 at 1:03 am
Should be interesting to see what was the cause of that snafu.
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July 30, 2011 at 7:20 pm