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CNN Live Saturday

Search Efforts Under Way Off Coast of Taiwan

Aired May 25, 2002 - 12:08   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A search effort is under way off the coast of Taiwan, where a China Airlines flight went down. Joining us now with the latest from Hong Kong is CNN's senior Asia correspondent Mike Chinoy. Hi there, Mike.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN SENIOR ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Hello there. Well, the flight China Airlines CI-611 was en route from the capital of Taiwan, Taipei, here to Hong Kong when it abruptly disappeared from radar screens about halfway through the flight, which is normally about an hour and 10 or an hour and 15 minutes. The plane was cruising at its normal cruising altitude, at 35,000 feet, when it simply disappeared and crashed into the sea.

The crash site, about 30, 40 miles off the coast of western Taiwan, near the Penghu islands. Officials say there's very little chance that anyone survived the crash. There's a search and rescue operation under way. Taiwanese television is reporting that scores of bodies have been plucked from the water, but no survivors. Makeshift morgue set up on the Penghu islands to accommodate those bodies when they are brought in.

Meanwhile, there's no indication at this point about what may have caused the crash. Aviation officials say that the cockpit crew did not send any kind of mayday or distress signal, and the plane -- it was in all other respects operating normally.

It was, however, one of the oldest aircraft in the China Airlines fleet, dating back to 1979, and officials here in Hong Kong from China Airlines said that it was due to be retired from service shortly because of its age.

China Airlines does have a bad safety reputation. In the 1990s, a series of fatal crashes killed hundreds of passengers. In the last couple of years, the airline has embarked on a major effort to turn its reputation around, with improved training and changes in the management. But this crash is going to again raise questions about just how safe Taiwan's main air carrier is -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, Mike, that the FAA and NTSB would be sending their own investigators abroad, how unusual is that?

CHINOY: It's not very unusual. This is a Boeing aircraft manufactured in the United States. China Airlines is a major client of Boeing. And for this kind of crash with no immediately obvious cause -- the weather was good, there were no indications of any other possible causes for this kind of incident, it would be pretty normal for people to come and join in the investigation.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks very much. Mike Chinoy, joining us from Hong Kong.

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