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CNN Live Saturday
Search for Pieces of Debris Continues in Texas
Aired February 08, 2003 - 16:23 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In East Texas, searchers are so determined to finish their grim task of recovering Columbia shuttle debris that some who won't rest are being ordered off the site. CNN's Whitney Casey joins us live from Nacogdoches, Texas, where pieces of Columbia rained down just a week ago. What are you finding out there, Whitney?
WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, about 100 miles here in Nacogdoches County, it certainly put Nacogdoches on the map. But the people of Nacogdoches say they want to be remembered for finding the debris, not keeping the debris. That's because reports came in here to the sheriff's department earlier this week that people were keeping the debris and not reporting it to officials.
So Texas authorities gave them a couple days to turn it in with amnesty, and that deadline ended about 5:00 last night. They have 117 pieces that came in under that amnesty, but they're still looking for nine people. And they've turned those people's names over to the U.S. Attorney's office. Now, the fine is $250,000 to $300,000 and ten years in jail if you are caught with pieces and not returning them to authorities.
They've even got plainclothes deputies that are frequenting the flea markets here in hopes of finding people who may want to sell them. Now, so far, there are 300 people currently on the ground doing a grid search right now as we speak. Nacogdoches authorities have located 1200 pieces of debris. And that's about 75 percent checked, logged and delivered to NASA.
Now, so far, we're into eight days here of searching. The weather has been bad. It's been very cold, and it's been exhaustive for the rescue and recovery teams. So, you can imagine that the people here are exhausted. And they are tired, but they continue to press on, 300 people out here today. Back to you, Carol.
LIN: They know that it is very important and have been touched personally by this tragedy. Thank you very much, Whitney Casey, reporting live in Nacogdoches.
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 8, 2003 - 16:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In East Texas, searchers are so determined to finish their grim task of recovering Columbia shuttle debris that some who won't rest are being ordered off the site. CNN's Whitney Casey joins us live from Nacogdoches, Texas, where pieces of Columbia rained down just a week ago. What are you finding out there, Whitney?
WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, about 100 miles here in Nacogdoches County, it certainly put Nacogdoches on the map. But the people of Nacogdoches say they want to be remembered for finding the debris, not keeping the debris. That's because reports came in here to the sheriff's department earlier this week that people were keeping the debris and not reporting it to officials.
So Texas authorities gave them a couple days to turn it in with amnesty, and that deadline ended about 5:00 last night. They have 117 pieces that came in under that amnesty, but they're still looking for nine people. And they've turned those people's names over to the U.S. Attorney's office. Now, the fine is $250,000 to $300,000 and ten years in jail if you are caught with pieces and not returning them to authorities.
They've even got plainclothes deputies that are frequenting the flea markets here in hopes of finding people who may want to sell them. Now, so far, there are 300 people currently on the ground doing a grid search right now as we speak. Nacogdoches authorities have located 1200 pieces of debris. And that's about 75 percent checked, logged and delivered to NASA.
Now, so far, we're into eight days here of searching. The weather has been bad. It's been very cold, and it's been exhaustive for the rescue and recovery teams. So, you can imagine that the people here are exhausted. And they are tired, but they continue to press on, 300 people out here today. Back to you, Carol.
LIN: They know that it is very important and have been touched personally by this tragedy. Thank you very much, Whitney Casey, reporting live in Nacogdoches.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
