Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Debris Recovery Continues
Aired February 06, 2003 - 11:25 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get more shuttle Columbia coverage in here now and talk about this huge debris field that they're trying to gather. Weather hampering efforts to recover the shuttle debris that landed in parts of Texas and on into Louisiana, and perhaps even farther west than Texas.
Our Patti Davis joins us live. She is in Hemphill, Texas with an update today.
Patti, hello.
PATTI DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, weather certainly the big news today. It's pouring rain here, 100 percent chance of rain for the whole rest of the day, and we're expecting possibly even snow by Saturday. This is the worst weather that searchers have had here.
So far, the concern here is hypothermia for these searches as they go out. Also with these muddy, rugged terrain conditions, where they're trying to look for debris, how are they going to get in and out? That's something they are struggling with here so far.
Now 625 pieces found so far in this county, 200 of them have been recovered. Now some of those include the nose cone from the shuttle. That was dug out and hauled off by truck yesterday. They've also found a switchboard of the shuttle, windows from the cabin, part of rockets, we're told, and also additional parts of landing gear from the Shuttle Columbia.
Today 15 crews here, 350 people, including one team on horseback. We're also told some additional 200 National Guard expected here today and about 80 Indian-American troops. They are firefighters. They are specialists in walking through the woods, finding debris. They know what they're looking for. Even Astronauts here from NASA were told that their role here is helping to find human remains.
Now despite these adverse weather conditions, the sheriff here in Sabine County says the morale here of the searchers here is the best that he's seen so far.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF TOM MADDOX, SABINE CO. TEXAS: I've never seen the dedication or a more dedicated group in all the years in law enforcement. I don't think there's anything there that could hamper them from accomplishing what they intended to accomplish by searching this 250 square miles of rugged terrain. (END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now two people were indicted yesterday, two Texans, for stealing parts of the shuttle. One, I believe it was a control board, a circuit board among what was stolen. They were indicted, and we're told since then that they have seen people bringing debris in. Now part of the reason why is certainly other people are scared that's going to happen to them, but also they are offering an amnesty now since those two indictments. They're telling people, if you bring things in by 5:00 tomorrow, you will not be charged. Please bring them in. We need every piece. Every piece is going to be critical for this investigation -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Patti Davis in Hemphill Texas. We'll let you get in out of the rain there.
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 6, 2003 - 11:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get more shuttle Columbia coverage in here now and talk about this huge debris field that they're trying to gather. Weather hampering efforts to recover the shuttle debris that landed in parts of Texas and on into Louisiana, and perhaps even farther west than Texas.
Our Patti Davis joins us live. She is in Hemphill, Texas with an update today.
Patti, hello.
PATTI DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, weather certainly the big news today. It's pouring rain here, 100 percent chance of rain for the whole rest of the day, and we're expecting possibly even snow by Saturday. This is the worst weather that searchers have had here.
So far, the concern here is hypothermia for these searches as they go out. Also with these muddy, rugged terrain conditions, where they're trying to look for debris, how are they going to get in and out? That's something they are struggling with here so far.
Now 625 pieces found so far in this county, 200 of them have been recovered. Now some of those include the nose cone from the shuttle. That was dug out and hauled off by truck yesterday. They've also found a switchboard of the shuttle, windows from the cabin, part of rockets, we're told, and also additional parts of landing gear from the Shuttle Columbia.
Today 15 crews here, 350 people, including one team on horseback. We're also told some additional 200 National Guard expected here today and about 80 Indian-American troops. They are firefighters. They are specialists in walking through the woods, finding debris. They know what they're looking for. Even Astronauts here from NASA were told that their role here is helping to find human remains.
Now despite these adverse weather conditions, the sheriff here in Sabine County says the morale here of the searchers here is the best that he's seen so far.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF TOM MADDOX, SABINE CO. TEXAS: I've never seen the dedication or a more dedicated group in all the years in law enforcement. I don't think there's anything there that could hamper them from accomplishing what they intended to accomplish by searching this 250 square miles of rugged terrain. (END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now two people were indicted yesterday, two Texans, for stealing parts of the shuttle. One, I believe it was a control board, a circuit board among what was stolen. They were indicted, and we're told since then that they have seen people bringing debris in. Now part of the reason why is certainly other people are scared that's going to happen to them, but also they are offering an amnesty now since those two indictments. They're telling people, if you bring things in by 5:00 tomorrow, you will not be charged. Please bring them in. We need every piece. Every piece is going to be critical for this investigation -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Patti Davis in Hemphill Texas. We'll let you get in out of the rain there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
