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Critical Eye on San Jose Airport Security; Surviving in a Wheelwell; Biden Visits Ukraine, Talks Energy Security; Cyclone Limits Search for Flight 370

Aired April 22, 2014 - 09:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

A California boy's death-defying feat is casting a critical eye on security at San Jose's airport this morning. Investigators still wondering why no one noticed a 16-year-old boy scaling a six foot high fence around the parameter of the airport and then managed to climb into a plane's wheelwell and travel five hours to Hawaii.

We are learning a bit more about the boy himself. We know the teenager left his home after a fight with his family at their Santa Clara home. Also neighbors say the family had moved to the neighborhood a year ago. The father was a taxi driver. And they never noticed anything unusual.

NEIGHBOR: They're really quiet neighbors. So, yes. So we -- we really, you know, don't hear noises or anything.

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COSTELLO (on-camera): As for how that teenager got into the plane's wheelwell and survived -- that remains quite the mystery this morning. CNN Brian Todd has more for you.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The ground crew noticed him wandering the tarmac in Maui disoriented. FBI special agent Tom Simon says this 16-year-old boy claimed to have ridden to Maui in the wheelwell of a Hawaiian Airlines 767 all the way from San Jose, California. The spokeswoman in San Jose says.

AIRPORT SPOKESWOMAN: He's a very lucky boy today.

TODD: Officials have reviewed surveillance video and say the teenager was seen hopping the fence at the San Jose airport and walking across the tarmac towards the Hawaiian airlines plane. The Maui airport has footage of him crawling out of a wheelwell. We went into the wheelwell of a 707. Smaller than the 767's wheel bay but this security expert Rofi Ron was able to show us how he could have wedged in. TODD: In the wheelwell the center area here could be key, right ?

ROFI RON, CEO, NASS: With the setup here in the 707, this area here is probably the best location for him at this time, because that is where the space between the wheels would later on be positioned, and that ensures that there would be slightly, enough space for him to survive. Then he can improve his position once the gear is in.

TODD: Experts say if he did successfully stow away, it's almost miraculous. The wheelwells are passenger jets aren't heated or pressurized. They say at a cruising altitude of 30,000 to 35,000 feet, the cold air could have killed him.

MICHAEL KAY, CNN AVIATION EXPERT: At that height, temperatures around minus 45 to minus 55 degrees c. To put that into perspective. Skin freezes almost instantaneously at around minus 44 degrees c.

TODD: A loss of oxygen at that altitude could have killed him unless his metabolism slowed enough nod to need oxygen. The lack of security in San Jose is being questioned in this case. Rofi Ron says the boy took advantage of a gap in the system.

RON: Right now many of our airports are not protecting the perimeter well enough to prevent an incident like this one.

TODD: The airport spokeswoman in San Jose says that facility exceeds all security requirements, and has an excellent track record. The TSA is assisting the airport in its investigation.

If this young man pulled this off he would have beaten pretty long odds. According to the FAA since 1947, 105 people have attempted to stow away in wheelwells are planes all over the world and 80 of them have died.

Brian Todd, CNN, Chattily, Virginia.

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COSTELLA: And this raises many questions about airport security. CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo joins me from Charleston, South Carolina. Formerly with the NTSB. Good morning, Mary.

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Good morning. Good to be with you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Nice to have you here. So there was a gap in security? Who's responsible for keeping people from scaling fences outside of airports?

SCHIAVO: Well, the airport is, and the airport is responsible and has to report to both the Federal Aviation Administration and the TSA, and apparently even though they had the fence, a requirement of federal regulations and they have the surveillance cameras, also a requirement. The third component though is someone actually watching the surveillance camera's. Apparently in did not have and only looked at them later. A huge gap in security. What's the point of the billion of dollars of equipment we've purchased since 9/11 if nobody pays attention to it?

COSTELLO: So should we be concerned on a national scale this might be happening at other airports across the country?

SCHIAVO: Oh, it is. It is happening all over. We've put the equipment in place and rely heavily on the equipment. We assume the equipment -- once we buy the equipment and put it in place -- and in some ways have the problem with September 11. We put in, back then, much older generation equipment, though, but metal detectors, x-ray equipment and then the screeners just routinely ignored them.

So I think it's a little bit of a wake-up call here. It's time to actually look at the equipment that we have, and actually do the security that we say that we are having. For this young man, obviously, he broke the law, but since he was clearly visible on the cameras, he's very fortunate that he survived. But had he not, there would be a lot more questions about, you know, why was he allowed to get on the plane if people could have seen him do it?

COSTELLO: Well okay. So a question for you, because you've investigated many and accident, and many different kinds of cases. Do you believe this kid really did survive a five-hour flight in the wheelwell of a plane?

SCHIAVO: You know, I wouldn't have without the fact that we had yet more surveillance cameras on the other end of the flight actually apparently surveilling him getting out of the wheelwell. Because when I was inspector general we had investigators going around checking security, and they were actually doing this. Breaking on to airport property illegally, because we were the feds, getting into baggage areas and cargo holds, and so I thought perhaps that the teen had mistaken the wheelwell for an open baggage hold area, but, no. Apparently the surveillance cameras in Hawaii show him coming out of the wheelwell.

So I suppose it's possible that the lines and the equipment in the plane kept him warm, hydraulic lines and other things, I suppose it's possible there was a slow leak on pressurization, but that's not really likely, but he's very lucky.

COSTELLO: He sure is.

SCHIAVO: Survival rate is awfully bad and usually they fall out when the gear comes down.

COSTELLO: It's just -- an amazing story.

Mary Schiavo, thanks for your insight. Appreciate it.

SCHIAVO: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Saying the United States wants to be a partner and friend to Ukraine, vice president Joe Biden met today with the countries acting president and other top law makers. Biden's visit is a continuation of the White House's push for a diplomatic solution for the crisis in Ukraine. But the vice president also slammed Russia for its actions in Crimea.

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JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ukraine is and must remain one country, from Liev, to Kiev down to the black sea. One country. One united Ukraine. No nation has the right to simply grab land from another nation. No nation has that right, and we will never recognize Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea, and neither will the world.

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COSTELLO: Yet Russia remains in Crimea. Frederik Pleitgen is in Kiev, the site of today's meeting. Good Morning, tell us more about what Vice President Joe Biden had to say.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well he actually had a lot to say Carol. On the one hand, of course as you just heard, he massively criticized the Russian federation. Not only for moves in Crimea also in east of Ukraine where the pro-Russian protesters remain holed up in those buildings. In fact took over another one in one, over night, in a town of Kramatorsk, also in that same area. The U.S. and Ukraine, of course, both say -- that they believe Russia is responsible for all of this, is steering all this in the background.

The Vice President says the U.S. wants to show it's commitment to Ukraine, he has offered additional financial help to help with reforms here in this country. One of the main keys he had was energy security for Ukraine, because as you know, Ukraine gets a lot of its gas from Russia, and Russia has been using that to pressure Ukraine in the current situation. So energy security was a major issue that he had there, but generally showing support for Ukraine and certainly I can tell you from this country here, people took this visit very, very seriously, Carol.

COSTELLO: Joe Biden also said that, you know, May 25th, elections will be held in Ukraine. Joe Biden said that the United States will make sure that they go smoothly. What does that mean as far as resources are concerned?

PLEITGEN: Well, he's put forward $50 million in resources for political reforms and also to help that election go across smoothly. He said the election could possibly be the most important election in this country's history, because, of course, it comes on the heels of this revolution and in an environment where the Russians are saying they believe the current interim government is not legitimate. What the U.S. says is that this -- this election cannot be open to criticism. It has to go smoothly, has to go fairly and cannot be any international criticism afterwards simply to show this country is capable of a Democratic process and will then have a legitimate government.

Basically what he wants to do, he wants to take all those arguments away from the Russian federation. He says the U.S. is willing to put its resources into that to make sure there is a reform process, because he also says one of the things that's also clear that this country still suffers a great deal from corruption both in the political as well as the economics sphere. That, of course, was one of the main concerns of protesters here in Kiev when they started the process of the revolution a couple months ago, Carol.

COSTELLO: Frederik Pleitgen, reporting live from Kiev in Ukraine this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, as divers find more bodies in that capsized ferry, investigators this morning arrest two more crew members for their role in the sinking of that ship. CNN's Will Ripley is following the story for you from South Korea. Will?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, we just got new information about the number of people found dead on the ferry as divers continue their around the clock efforts searching for survivors.

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COSTELLO: Two more crew members of that sunken South Korean ferry were arrested this morning bringing the total to nine. The captain and two first helmsmen now facing time in prison for their action or inaction last Wednesday. CNN's Will Ripley live in Jindo, South Korea to tell us more. Hi Will.

RIPLEY: The big question, how much longer this search operation will continue before the language changes and it's called a recovery operation, because sadly as these divers go out, hundreds of them hoping they can find survivors in some sort of air pocket in the sunken Sewol ferry. Sadly all they keep coming back ashore with are dead. We just have those new numbers. The number of people dead 121, meaning 181 are still technically missing right now, and they are believed to be somewhere in that ferry.

Divers have been facing a difficult job. Underwater it's almost impossible to see almost a few inches in front of you. They use ropes to get into the ship but are trying to get towards the cafeteria in the ship where they think a lot of these it young students were at the time of this disaster.

You know, you've seen the video of how awful conditions are out there. I can tell you from being up on the surface, it's just as awful to watch them pull bodies up on to these ships and bring them here to shore. Take them to a tent where they look at the bodies and then they announce over a loud speaker to the family members, a description of the young person, or the old person, that they found laying there, and you hear parents sob, walk over to the tent. Confirm that is indeed their loved one or isn't. It's a heartbreaking scene, Carol, and we've seen it over and over again here.

COSTELLO: Do they still have any hope that there are air pockets in that ship?

RIPLEY: The diver that I spoke to who leads the volunteer diver says he absolutely has hope that there could still be people alive and burst into tears and said, it's because I have to have hope. I have to have hope for my country and for these families. Think about it, Carol, we're a week into this. That's cold water. Very cold water. Limited amount of air. Dark. No food. So you look at the odds. You know, at this point I think that the official line is, that they're hoping for a miracle. But yet they go in day in and day out and all they keep finding are dead.

COSTELLO: Will Ripley reporting live from South Korea this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a cyclone closes in and a search areas scales back. CNN Erin McLaughlin with the latest on flight 370. Hi, Erin.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

That's right. They're just days away from potentially ruling out this current search area. More details on what they're planning next, after the break.

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COSTELLO: A tropical cyclone is the latest obstacle in the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. The storm has grounded planes and suspended today's air search.

So, today's hopes rest with the underwater drone, the Bluefin-21. This is its 10th mission, but so far, still no trace of that missing plane. It's now day 46 of the search. And for the families of those aboard, it has settled into a cruel monotony.

CNN's Erin McLaughlin live in Perth, Australia to bring us up to date.

Hi, Erin.

MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, Carol.

That's right. That aerial search temporarily suspended. We expect it to continue as soon as the weather improves. Meanwhile, all eyes on the Bluefin-21, which has so far ruled out the majority of this now narrowed search area. Officials are already looking at what they're going to do next.

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MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): No end in sight as investigators are now only days away from completing the search in the targeted area and still, no sign of Flight 370.

Back in the water this morning, Bluefin-21, after turning up empty scouring two-thirds of the intended seabed so far.

The search in the air drastically scaled back due to rain, poor visibility, and heavy seas from Tropical Cyclone Jack, the targeted area six miles in radius. It represents the best guess as to where the plane may be. If nothing is found, the search area may widen dramatically with more equipment.

Investigators say they're in the early stages of talks on long-term search plans, as far out as July.

On Monday, Chinese families of those on board Flight 370 arrived at a Beijing hotel expecting a briefing with technical experts from Malaysia. But that meeting was canceled. The families turned away.

STEVE WANG, FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE: Even small pieces, they haven't found it. So, we really doubt the whether it's in the right place or not. We just want to help them check it.

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MCLAUGHLIN: As you hear there, some of the families questioning whether or not they're looking in the right place. They're thinking perhaps the Bluefin-21 is not in the right place. They want more information. They want more data. They have too many lingering questions -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Erin McLaughlin reporting live from Perth, Australia this morning. Thank you.

With most of the intended search area now scanned and still no trace of that plane, one overarching question is how long can that search continue with no results? The U.S. Navy says talks are now under way to extend the efforts, maybe as far out as July.

Joining me now, CNN aviation analyst and former NTSB Director Peter Goelz.

Welcome, Peter.

PETER GOELZ, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Good morning.

So, the search in the area where those black boxes are believed to be is now two-thirds done. No boxes. Really discouraging. But that doesn't mean the boxes aren't in that location, right?

GOELZ: Well, they could have missed it. They might have been just outside the location. I mean, the search area was determined using some really difficult and cutting edge analysis. It might have been slightly off, but I do think that the searchers, the search team are re-assessing the strategy. I think the searches cut back or eliminated and look for the long-term underwater search with some new equipment.

COSTELLO: Yes, speaking of new equipment, is it possible the wreckage of that plane just sunk too deep to be actually found by the Bluefin 21?

GOELZ: Well, I think that's possible, but a 777 is -- if you're meaning into the silt, I think that's possible, but unlikely. If you mean if it's in deeper water, the answer is absolutely. The Bluefin is limited to 5,000 meters. There's parts of that area that are deeper, and they may need a any equipment. Probably a towed piece of equipment that can go deep, deeper and have feedback continuously to the surface.

COSTELLO: Why do you suppose that searchers are so sure the black boxes are in that particular area of the Indian Ocean?

GOELZ: Well, I think it's a combination of things. One is, that is where the final handshake what they've described as the handshake. That was the satellite query of the airplane, do you want to send information? The final handshake took place right there according to their analysis, and then the half handshake was also right near there.

Couple that with the finding of the pings, that was the most likely place where the plane went down, and it probably still is -- they're just going to have to widen the search area dramatically and the Bluefin may not be the best piece of equipment to do that.

COSTELLO: So, is there some point in any investigation where fresh eyes are brought in to look over the information one more time, just to see if everything's kosher?

GOELZ: Well, you're absolutely right, and I think that's something that probably if it isn't being done will be done, in which you bring in a completely new team of individuals. They look at the data, the raw data, without any preconceptions and see if they come up with the same solution, the same direction, the same location as the first team.

I mean, the first team was working under enormous pressure, working 24 hours a day. They've done tremendous work. But it doesn't hurt to bring in a new, fresh set of eyes to see if they've missed anything, or if a different -- with different assumptions, a different location is projected.

COSTELLO: Peter Goelz, thanks for your insight as usual. Appreciate it.

GOELZ: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM: Vice President Biden in Ukraine this morning talking tough on the crisis while warning Russia on its actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. We'll talk about that, next.

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