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Oil Spill Continues to Leak in Gulf of Mexico; Over 150 People Feared Dead in Plane Crash in India; President to Speak at West Point Graduation

Aired May 22, 2010 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there, everybody. Good morning from the CNN center in Atlanta, Georgia. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING, for this Saturday May 22nd. I'm T.J. Holmes.

We start this hour, that oil is till spewing into the Gulf. Live pictures we have access to now that BP made available. They're also going to get another chance. They have a new plan to try to stop all of that oil from gushing. There it is, this live picture we're telling you about. We have access to these now.

That is continuing at this moment and this is what's going on every minute for the past month. But a new method possibly now hoping is going to work. It's called "top kill." We'll show you exactly how top kill works.

Plus -- did his business go bust? One business owner who fears the oil spill will ruin his livelihood. We talked to him a couple weeks ago. He told us he would be bankrupt in a month if this thing didn't get cleaned up. We'll see how he's doing now.

Also this morning, any moment we're expecting the president it to come out and deliver the commencement address at West Point military. How will the cadets receive the commander in chief, and how will it be different than his last visit there. A live picture expecting the president coming up with the next several minutes. We'll take you there live when it does happen.

But we want to tell you about other stories making headlines overnight, including a breaking story and really a sad catastrophe that's taken place. Pictures of a plane crash that happened in India, 158 people feared dead after an Air India flight skids off the runway after an attempted landing at Mangalore airport in India.

Officials in India suggest pilot error may be to blame.

Another child suicide blamed on bullying. The latest case involves an 11-year-old girl in south Florida. Her parents found her hanging in a closet. Her diary suggests she was a frequent target of a schoolyard bully. Police now looking into it.

Also, a California produce company recalling its alfalfa sprouts because the CDC suspects they're the source of a nationwide salmonella outbreak. Twenty-two people in five states got sick, four hospitalized. No deaths, however, reported. Back now, want to look deeper into that air India crash, again, feared that 158 people are dead. This is the first major crash in India since 2000. Apparently what happened here, this plane overshot the runway. It took off from Dubai, and CNN's Stan Grant is with us from there. He's with us on the phone.

A lot of developments we've been getting, really overnight and certainly this morning as well, Stan. Give us the update now. The numbers have been changing how many are feared dead and how many survivors we know about.

STAN GRANT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, T.J. We understand there are eight survivors. It was hoped earlier that number would rise. It appears unlikely now, 158 people being confirmed dead. There were 166 people onboard this Air India express flight.

Now, that is a budget airline that operates here out of Dubai. It left at 1:00 a.m. from Dubai traveling to Mangalore in southern India with those people aboard.

Now, keeping in mind that many of those people would have been migrant workers who work in the construction industry here in Dubai. In the United Arab Emirates about 45 percent to 50 percent of Indian many working in these jobs in the construction industry.

For many of them, it's the first chance to get home for several years. They often don't get holidays for two or three years. This ended in a terrible tragedy.

As you mentioned, the plane touched down, overshot the runway, veered off into trees nearby and exploded. It burst into flames, of course, with this terrible death toll.

We also understand there were 19 children and four infants also among the passengers on board that flight, T.J.

HOLMES: Stan, there was some talk of bad weather, raining and the visibility might have been low. We're hearing something different now from the government in India.

GRANT: Yes. They've been refusing that. There was also speculation that the airport itself may have been a difficult one to try to land in. That also has been refuted. If you look at the plane itself, a Boeing 737, it's a new plane, about a year old. So they're discounting that as also, of course.

The captain of the flight was from Serbia. We understand the co- captain, we believe, was Indian. So the investigation at this point looking into pilot error, but however you look at this, 166 people onboard, 158 people dead, so many of these people, 19, children, four infants.

Regardless of what happened, why the plane overshot, what was the cause this crash, we do know that it's an absolute tragedy.

HOLMES: Stan Grant, you're absolutely right. We appreciate your updates. Thank you so much.

GRANT: Thank you, T.J.

HOLMES: Turning back it a story that's been ongoing, do you believe it now, for a month, the massive oil leak in the Gulf. Take a live picture. We can show you once again that is a live look of what's happening right now.

This has been going on -- remember, it was April 20th when that initial explosion happened aboard that, aboard that platform out in the Gulf. It sank two days later. But this has been going on now, this massive leak, for the past month.

President Obama has now established a bipartisan commission to investigation the prevention of future spills, and this spill in particular, been a lot of debate about exactly how much oil is spilling. There have been a number of estimates out there.

We have going with, we got from BP, 5,000 barrels a day. That's 210,000 gallons. Many scientists out there, other estimates say as many as 1.5 to 4 million gallons has been leaking every single day.

They tried a couple different methods. They haven't been 100 percent successful in trying to stop this leak. The latest they're going to try is called a "top kill" method. They'll try to use that to cap the leak sometime next week.

So top kill -- what does that mean? Let's give you an explanation here. This means they're going to try to pump fluid into that leak site, just a rush of fluid. This is going to be a thick, sticky liquid, twice the density of water.

The leak will then be sealed with cement. This has never been tried before at such depths. The earliest they think they'll be able to try this is on Tuesday, the top kill method, hoping it will work.

The Gulf oil spill already impacting fishermen and charter boats and others. Now both say they are losing money. Now, charter boat operator Tom Becker is going to join us again now live from Biloxi. There he is.

But before we talk to him, sir, I'm going let everybody hear what you told me two weeks ago, and then we'll get the update from you. So let me let you listen to what Mr. Becker had to say to me about the condition of his business about two weeks ago. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SKIPPER TOM BECKER, OWNER, T&D CHARTER: In a month's time, I'll be bankrupt, and have to probably do something drastic that I don't want to do, but I feel like I can hold on for about a month.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: All right, Mr. Becker, let me bring you back in. That was just a couple of weeks ago. You talk about something drastic might have to take place. You tell me, how is business now? Have you been able to hold on?

BECKER: Well, I've managed to run few trips, and to make some money. Also I did the claims with BP. I did receive a check from them. That helped.

But it's still not what I've lost. I've had another cancellation just the other day. Got it, and that one was for a two-day trip down where the oil is coming out. That one is costing me $4,800. I got to refund his $1,000 deposit.

These are the kinds of trips that are happening, and we don't know when, what's going to happen, and our concern basically is, yes, we're having trouble now. There are ways we can get with the BP plans and if they continue with them, fine, but the problem's going to be later on. We don't know what's happening. I viewed a video this morning --

HOLMES: Yes, sir.

BECKER: -- on, not your network that had divers down, divers out of Louisiana went down and showed one rig, the fish there is beautiful, just like pristine like it always is. Another rig they dent down, and it was so sad. There was nothing there.

HOLMES: Well, sir -- I know this is tough for you and puts such a human face on how this has take an toll on people, but I know that some, about 20 percent of the Gulf, we're told, has been shut down to fishing. Are you having a tough time? Certainly you're coming out of Mississippi, finding places to fish, finding places to take people out to fish?

BECKER: No. With 20 percent -- but the boat boundary now is shifting to the southeast, which is really sad, the direction it's going. It looks like it's in the Gulf Stream. That's the wrong way to go. What's it going to do to the coral reefs down there? The fishermen are going have the same problem.

But we can go out approximately 20, 25 miles, and we still have the reefs that we can fish. But the people have cancelled out. So when snapper season opens next week, we won't be able to go out, because we don't have any customers. That's our concern, of the lost people.

HOLMES: And that's exactly what you said last time. A perception out there, the whole Gulf, everything is covered in oil and people are cancelling these trips.

One last thing, you said you've been holding on, got that check from BP, didn't make up for everything but helped some. What kind of standing are you in now? You said you could possibly hold on a month. That was two weeks ago. Again, how long before something drastic has to happen, or you have to make a drastic move, can you hold on now?

BECKER: I'm playing this one day by day right now, because the government contract I have is helping. We're moving along with that. We're getting to get out in the areas first time we couldn't go to, now we can go out and get some work done with these contractors. We also, there's another contract going up right now in the same area for an emergency 911 system out there, and that's coming to Mississippi government doing that one.

So things are helping us get out there. People are calling us to go out there that we didn't expect to the call.

HOLMES: And when you say the government contract, what kind of work are you saying you're doing for the government?

BECKER: Taking contractors out that have the maintenance responsibility for International Guard towers out there, to track aircraft.

HOLMES: OK, you are getting some work through that way. Mr. Becker, we appreciate you taking the time again and again, putting a human face and the toll it's taking on business people like yourself. Sir, if it's all right, we'll continue to check in with you and maybe one day we'll have you on and things have completely turned around and picked back up.

But you keep hang OK, sir. Thank you for taking the time out this morning.

BECKER: I sure will. Thank you, and just remember that the whole Gulf of Mexico across here is open. The fishing's open. People's beaches are clean. Come on down and enjoy a good meal of fish. Don't worry about that. The people are checking it daily. We'll holler at you. Don't come if that's the case.

HOLMES: Mr. Becker, appreciate that. Thank you so, so much.

And a reminder, if you want to watch that live feed, we have it up, that oil spill. There you see it at CNN.com, live streaming footage on our Web site. As long as that screen is up, we will certainly put that up on our website for you to see.

We're standing by, minutes away, from hearing President Obama, expected to address, will address the class of 2010 at the U.S. military academy at West Point. You see them getting underway now, a live picture. We'll have the president's comments live four.

(WEATHER BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's graduation day for the class of 2010 at West Point. This morning the cadets are getting inspiration from the commander in chief. He's the graduation speaker.

Our deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins me again from Washington. We'll keep an eye on the live picture and when the president steps up we'll go to him live. But this is not the first time the president was at West Point. He was there, not too terribly long ago, but certainly a different time and a different message. PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes. It was last December, early December, T.J., the president went to West Point and gave an address in primetime, which CNN and all the other cable networks carried, and in that address he laid out his plan for Afghanistan with a couple of things he talked about. He talked about putting another 30,000 more U.S. troops in Afghanistan to help beef up the government there and also to help assist in the conflict.

He also said at time in that speech that he would begin bringing U.S. troops out of Afghanistan as early as July, 2011. That was kind of a big mark, a big speech in his strategy for Afghanistan.

Take a look at this. The most recent polling on the president, how Americans think he's doing when it comes to the war in Afghanistan, the conflict in Afghanistan. You can see the numbers improved for him. Back in March, 55 percent, an improvement from 42 percent back in October.

T.J., two other things from the poll worth mentioning. Americans, the majority now think things are going well for the U.S. troops in Afghanistan and the conflict, and opposition to the war has gone down over the last six to nine months, T.J. That's kind of a snapshot there. We expect him to talk about Afghanistan, obviously, today in his speech.

HOLMES: And talking to a crowd that certainly it's of interest to them exactly what's going to happen down the road in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many will end up in one ever those two places.

This is a big commencement speech today. The president seems like he probably -- I can't imagine. How many invitations does he get, probably, to do -- probably every school in the country gives him an invitation, and he -- how carefully does he pick these things?

STEINHAUSER: Yes. There's obviously a choreography to this. You're right. They get scores of invitations. Everybody wants the president to speak at commencement addresses. Why do they pick a few? Obviously there's a message there.

You would assume today the president in this speech at West Point will talk about Afghanistan. He will talk about Iraq. He will talk about the war against global terrorism. So there is a reason why he picked the service academy.

And presidents often address service academies. Where else has he spoken to? So far this year at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, a couple weeks back. He was also at Hampton University in southern Virginia, a predominantly African-American school. This will be his third commencement speech so far to date this year, T.J.

STEINHAUSER: All right, Paul Steinhauser, we appreciate you, as also. Once again to viewers, you see the box on the bottom of the screen with the live picture at West Point Academy. Right now we're waiting for the president to step up onstage, on that podium and address the cadets. Had he does, we'll bring it to you live. Meanwhile, we'll continue to get new information about what happened in India, that deadly plane crash believed that some 158 kill there. Josh Levs has been following this story as well and finding all kinds of comments and images online as well. Josh, hold on for me one second. We have a live picture. We knew this was coming.

There he is. The president ever the United States stepping up onstage right now. I believe he might just be introduced right now. There might be a little pomp and circumstance that takes place right now. We'll stop for the anthem.

(MUSIC)

HOLMES: All right, the president just taking the stage there, and pausing for the national anthem there. We are waiting for him to address the cadets at West Point. We're going to take a quick break, get that in, and come back with the president's stepped to the podium. You'll hear from him live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: And a live picture. Right now this is at West Point military academy, the prestigious military academy where the president of the United States is set to give the commencement address in just a moment.

The cadets will hear a message about the future of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also they will be hearing about the security of this country, something they are certainly cog to take an active role in as they begin their careers.

When the president steps up to the podium starting with a lot of speakers now, introductory stuff. When the president steps to the podium you will hear that live.

Meanwhile, I want to give you a look at some of the stories making headlines this morning. Of course, 158 people onboard an air India flight in Mangalore feared dead after the plane skipped off the runway off an embankment and burst into flames. Officials in India say they don't believe weather or visibility was a factor here. In fact it might have been pilot error.

President Obama also naming a former EPA administrator as well as a former Florida senator to lead a bipartisan panel to investigate the Gulf oil spill and how not to repeat such a mishap.

Also in Texas, the debate goes on even though the vote took place yesterday. Texas schoolbooks could look a little different now that the state's school board has voted to approve changes to social studies. Some say it gives the textbooks more of a conservative slant. Others say it's actually just balancing things out a bit.

Returning to Josh Levs to talk about what you're finding online including pictures of that tragedy in India.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Right, T.J. And obviously we'll pull out if the president starts to speak.

But we're getting some more information about this major airliner. People around the world want to know all they can about it. You see pictures up on the screen behind me. This is pretty much the picture of the day, a picture of rescuers pilling out one child, and we are hearing 146 bodies have been recovered.

Earlier we were hearing eight people survived. Now sister network, IBN in India saying one of the eight is believed to have died en route to the hospital.

I want to go to an animation we have of the runway, because this is where all eyes are right now. This is what people are focusing on as they look into this. Officials are saying they don't believe it was weather problems. They believe, at least what they're looking into for now is initially that the pilot may have overshot the runway.

Now, you hear those words and might think that could occur to you on any plane. This airport works differently. This landing strip you're seeing there. The runway is built on a plateau surrounded by hills, a sand embankment past it.

If the plane -- and there's plenty of room on the runway for a plane to land, but if a plane were to overshoot this runway if that is what happened, then it could, indeed, ends up exactly where it is today. We have some video of the wreckage we can go to now that shows what we're seeing.

The reason you're seeing a plane down a hill and people needing to go up and down a hill in order to pull up the, for the rescuers to pull bodies an get everything they can out of the rubble is that what were you just seeing there, that runway, that landing strip, is built on that plateau, on that corner, surrounded by these hills.

So all of that information together helps you understand why authorities are looking at the possibility of a pilot having overshot the runway.

There's no immediate information about a specific problem with the plane. They have not so far found the voice or data recorder, which could provide a lot of information.

We're hearing this pilot had a bunch of training, had done thousands of hours, and we're hearing the plane, the Boeing 737, didn't show any technical problems. And Boeing itself has now sent some people to help Indian authorities in the investigation. So we're keeping an eye on all of that and all of these details.

As you take a look at that, I want to show you something quickly on the web before we go. We have on CNN.com a timeline of previous air crashes. The reason I point to it is because I want you to know, I've done reality check on this so many times looked into statistics repeatedly, and a lot of you watching in the airport. Flying is the safest major form of travel there is. It is the safest by far. Your flight's going to take off fine, fly fine, land fine. The reason this terrible tragedy in India makes the news is that they are so rare. Flying remains the safest for of travel. So T.J., we'll keep an eye on the details throughout the president's speech this hour.

HOLMES: Josh, we appreciate you, as always. We are keeping an eye on the president waiting for him to speak to the cadets up at West Point military academy.

Meanwhile, the president and Republicans, they were talking about the same topic this morning in their weekly addresses, oil, focusing on the Gulf coast's spill. We'll tell you what each had to say about the leak and the cleanup. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

T.J. HOLMES: Once again, we're keeping an eye on the president, waiting for his address to the graduates of West Point. Meanwhile, the president was talking earlier today about the Gulf Coast oil spill in his weekly address, talking about why he has now established a presidential commission to look into the matter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: On Friday I signed an executive order establishing the national commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and offshore drilling while there are a number of ongoing investigations, including an independent review by the National Academy of Engineering.

The purpose of this commission is to consider both the root causes of the disaster and offer options on what safety and environmental precautions we need to take to prevent a similar disaster from happening again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And our Kate Bolduan joins us now from Washington. Kate, good morning to you. Here we go. We often hear after a disaster, we get a bipartisan commission. So exactly -- he explained it there a little bit. But what exactly are they supposed to do? Find out what happened this time, or prevent something from happening next time? I guess maybe one in the same anyway.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, a little bit. It's a huge job and we hear a lot about this, these commissions that pop up, but this is a very big responsibility that the president established through an executive order.

You heard a little bit about it there from President Obama himself, T.J.. The commission's official name, it's surely a mouthful, the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A big name and the group's mission, a big job as well, to nail down what were the root causes of this massive oil spill and also figure out how to prevent this from ever happening again in the future. And that's a huge job when you consider what they're dealing with and how difficult their job is at this moment. I'm sorry. Was there something --

HOLMES: I think -- let me look at the live picture. Kate, hold on. The president stepped up to the podium. There he is addressing cadets on their graduation day. Let's listen in.

(PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS SENT AS "LIVE EVENT")