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American Morning
Latest on Search for Clues to Columbia Disaster
Aired February 04, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to Nagadoches, Texas and the latest on the search for clues to the Columbia disaster.
Ed Lavandera is at the command center right now and he has an update for us -- good morning, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, here officials in Nacodogches, Texas have gotten word that this city will serve as the federal staging area, if you will, for all of the military aircraft that will be used to take away all of the space shuttle debris from this East Texas area. And now the teams that are going around collecting all of the debris that is scattered all over East Texas and western Louisiana are starting to work at a quicker pace. These teams are led by the Environmental Protection Agency. They're going around collecting all of the debris now.
They started off focusing on schools, so a couple of schools had to close yesterday because of the debris on site at these schools. But these teams now moving quicker and officials say that they're also starting to find more debris. Dozens of calls continue to come in reporting new debris and officials here in Nacogdoches say that they have found 15 sites that contain human remains. That is being handled by the FBI. So it's a very delicate situation. So that will be handled properly by somebody else.
And also that they have also found portions of the crew cabin and authorities here have been told that they should continue to look for parts of the crew cabin, specifically some pieces that might have critical information as to the electronics and the communications systems within the crew cabin that might be helpful at some point down the road in this investigation -- Paula.
ZAHN: Ed, are you able to confirm any of the published reports this morning that the part of the crew cabin that was found actually had a pilot's seat intact and a pedal?
LAVANDERA: Well, and I think that's why they're, had, the officials here have been told to continue looking for parts of this crew cabin. A lot of what officials here are doing is reactionary. Based on the calls that come in they go out and look for it. What officials here have said is that the one proactive thing that they are doing is sending out teams on horseback, for example, into the heavily wooded areas to specifically look for portions of this crew cabin. So it's something they've been made well aware of.
ZAHN: And are you finding that the local folks are finally heeding the warning not to get near this stuff and touch it?
LAVANDERA: Yes, they have been, although officials here had to speak yesterday. There have been some situations where pieces continue to turn up missing from a couple of the stories, anecdotes that the sheriff here in Nacogdoches was sharing with us yesterday, there continues to be a slight problem. But, again, it's a manpower issue. Every authority in this area seems to be working, standing by, collecting debris or making sure that's handled properly. So they are pushed to the limit. There's not a lot of time to focus on these other issues.
ZAHN: And you're talking about some of these parts potentially being missing. Is there still a concern that people are scavenging this stuff and taking it for souvenirs?
LAVANDERA: No, they have been. And there have been several reports and authorities here are saying that they're going to take up that issue with a couple of people. But they also say it's not a terribly widespread problem. They've had a handful of calls, but it's nothing that they categorize as significant at this point. But it's still occurring.
ZAHN: Ed Lavandera reporting from the center of the investigation there in Nacogdoches, Texas for us, and a very early morning, indeed.
Thanks, Ed.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 4, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to Nagadoches, Texas and the latest on the search for clues to the Columbia disaster.
Ed Lavandera is at the command center right now and he has an update for us -- good morning, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, here officials in Nacodogches, Texas have gotten word that this city will serve as the federal staging area, if you will, for all of the military aircraft that will be used to take away all of the space shuttle debris from this East Texas area. And now the teams that are going around collecting all of the debris that is scattered all over East Texas and western Louisiana are starting to work at a quicker pace. These teams are led by the Environmental Protection Agency. They're going around collecting all of the debris now.
They started off focusing on schools, so a couple of schools had to close yesterday because of the debris on site at these schools. But these teams now moving quicker and officials say that they're also starting to find more debris. Dozens of calls continue to come in reporting new debris and officials here in Nacogdoches say that they have found 15 sites that contain human remains. That is being handled by the FBI. So it's a very delicate situation. So that will be handled properly by somebody else.
And also that they have also found portions of the crew cabin and authorities here have been told that they should continue to look for parts of the crew cabin, specifically some pieces that might have critical information as to the electronics and the communications systems within the crew cabin that might be helpful at some point down the road in this investigation -- Paula.
ZAHN: Ed, are you able to confirm any of the published reports this morning that the part of the crew cabin that was found actually had a pilot's seat intact and a pedal?
LAVANDERA: Well, and I think that's why they're, had, the officials here have been told to continue looking for parts of this crew cabin. A lot of what officials here are doing is reactionary. Based on the calls that come in they go out and look for it. What officials here have said is that the one proactive thing that they are doing is sending out teams on horseback, for example, into the heavily wooded areas to specifically look for portions of this crew cabin. So it's something they've been made well aware of.
ZAHN: And are you finding that the local folks are finally heeding the warning not to get near this stuff and touch it?
LAVANDERA: Yes, they have been, although officials here had to speak yesterday. There have been some situations where pieces continue to turn up missing from a couple of the stories, anecdotes that the sheriff here in Nacogdoches was sharing with us yesterday, there continues to be a slight problem. But, again, it's a manpower issue. Every authority in this area seems to be working, standing by, collecting debris or making sure that's handled properly. So they are pushed to the limit. There's not a lot of time to focus on these other issues.
ZAHN: And you're talking about some of these parts potentially being missing. Is there still a concern that people are scavenging this stuff and taking it for souvenirs?
LAVANDERA: No, they have been. And there have been several reports and authorities here are saying that they're going to take up that issue with a couple of people. But they also say it's not a terribly widespread problem. They've had a handful of calls, but it's nothing that they categorize as significant at this point. But it's still occurring.
ZAHN: Ed Lavandera reporting from the center of the investigation there in Nacogdoches, Texas for us, and a very early morning, indeed.
Thanks, Ed.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
