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19 die in jungle plane crash
04/04/2008 09:11 - (SA)
Paramaribo - Nineteen people including two children were killed on Thursday when a Russian-built airplane on a domestic flight crashed in the former Dutch colony of Suriname, President Ronald Venetiaan said.
The twin engine Antonov 28 belonged to Blue Wing Airlines, a small Paramaribo-based air carrier.
"From the 19, two are pilots and 17 are civilians," among them "two children between four and five years old," Venetiaan told reporters at the military base adjacent to the Paramaribo airport.
Local press earlier had announced that the victims included seven Brazilians, attributing the information to the airline, although authorities could not confirm the figure.
Airport officials had originally said 20 people were killed.
The plane took off from the airport at 10:00 and crashed about an hour later in a mountainous region near the French Guiana border, the airline said.
The flight was bound for the town of Bennzborp, a gold mining area near French Guiana, on the northeastern shoulder of South America.
Explosions
Early reports said the plane exploded when it crashed.
"There were three explosions," said rescue team leader Gerel van Embrwks, adding that the plane was still burning when rescuers arrived at the crash site.
Arai Carcuil, father of the plane's captain, 36-year-old Suragni Carcuil, told AFP he received a call from his other son who told him that "the plane exploded as it crashed into the mountain".
Suriname Vice-President Ram Sardjoe said an identification team from the Netherlands was due to arrive Friday.
Victims' remains were recovered and were expected to be returned to the airport, where hundreds of people including loved ones had gathered.
The government offered its apologies to the families of the victims and said it was considering calling a week of national mourning.
"The government will stand by the relatives and the airline company to assist them in any way," Venetiaan said.
The airline, which flies within Suriname and to French Guiana and Europe, was founded six years ago and has a fleet of 10 small planes, including two 18-seater Antonovs.
Suriname has a population of some 500 000 and an economy based mainly on mining.
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