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You are here: Home News German News Airliner crashes off Comoros with 153 aboard

01/07/2009Airliner crashes off Comoros with 153 aboard

A 14-year-old girl is the sole survivor so far among the 142 passengers and 11 crew.

Moroni -- A 14-year-old girl Tuesday was rescued alive in the sea amid debris and dead bodies after a Yemeni Airbus jet crashed in the Indian Ocean as it tried to land in the Comoros islands with 153 people aboard.

The A310 had aborted a landing and was making a second attempt when it crashed, officials said, as French authorities questioned the carrier's safety record saying the 19-year-old jet had been banned from France's airspace.

Bodies and wreckage from the Yemenia airline flight were spotted in the sea near the archipelago's capital, Moroni, aviation officials said. A Yemeni official reported an oil slick in the waters.

The teenager, the sole survivor so far among the 142 passengers and 11 crew on Flight IY 626, was in hospital and her condition was "not worrisome," said Ramulati Ben Ali from the local Red Cross.

A man identified as one of the girl's rescuers told France's Europe 1 radio that the girl was seen swimming in choppy waters in the middle of bodies and plane debris around 4:00 am (0100 GMT).

"We tried to throw a life buoy. She could not grab it. I had to jump in the water to get her," the rescuer said.

"She was shaking, shaking. We put four covers on her. We gave her hot, sugary water. We simply asked her name, village."

A Comoran government spokesman also confirmed that the girl is the only survivor so far and hailed from the southeastern village of Nioumadzaha.

"She is conscious, she is speaking, but we are trying to warm her," said Ada Mansour, the examining doctor at the hospital.

Officials said the plane crashed into rough seas in darkness, after disappearing from control tower radar screens at 1:51 am Tuesday (2251 GMT Monday).

"They are saying the plane was making its approach, that it pulled out of the approach and then tried another approach that went wrong," French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau told French radio.

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