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CNN Live At Daybreak
Investigation Continues as Families Deal With Loss
Aired November 13, 2001 - 06:37 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: More now on American flight 587. More than 100 investigators will divide into teams this morning and comb every inch of the crash site in two tight-knit beach communities in southern Queens. That's where we find CNN's Eric Philips at this hour.
Hello Eric.
ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well good morning Kyra. Upon hearing of the crash, of course, all Americans and especially New Yorkers had a sense of oh, no not again. But while investigators have not ruled out criminal activity, they are looking closely at the possibility that this was an accident. But the question still remains exactly what caused the crash.
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This suburban neighborhood of Queens Monday morning after American Airlines flight 587 came crashing down minutes after takeoff from JFK International Airport.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I see the plane, the engine fall down and the plane fall. The piece of the left side came straight all the way down.
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PHILIPS: Four homes were totally destroyed in the crash. Two hundred sixty people were on board the Airbus bound for Santo Domingo including five infants. None are believed to have survived. Grieving loved ones look for confirmation and answers.
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RUDOLPH GIULIANI, MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: We're doing the best we can to try to identify as many of the bodies as possible. The medical examiner who has been under tremendous stress in handling the World Trade Center has organized this effort again.
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PHILIPS: The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but authorities are looking closely at the possibility of -- quote -- "catastrophic engine failure". Both engines separated from the plane in mid air. One piece landed at a gas station a few feet from a pump. Another in someone's backyard. Pieces of the plane also landed in nearby Jamaica Bay. The cockpit voice recorder was retrieved from the 10-mile debris field. It's being analyzed in Washington, but officials say so far they've found no evidence of unusual communication between the cockpit and air traffic control.
This comes as a devastating blow for this community that lost 60 people in the September 11th terrorist attacks. Many saying they've attended multiple funerals each day for those who died at the World Trade Center.
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Two hundred sixty-five bodies have been pulled from the crash site, which leave investigators to believe that five people on the ground may have perished in yesterday's crash as well.
Live in Queens, New York, I'm Eric Philips. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: Eric, thank you very much. Leon.
HARRIS: All right, obviously investigators are going to be quite busy today and while victims' families are going to have little to do but sit around and wait for some word -- any kind of word, some type of an answer.
Well that was the case last night as friends came to comfort one family who fear that they may soon be planning not one, but five funerals.
Michael Baldwin of our affiliate WLNE in Providence, Rhode Island sat down and talked at length with the De La Cruz family.
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MICHAEL BALDWIN, CNN AFFILIATE WLNE: For many in the De La Cruz family, the night ended the way the day began. Family, young and old in front of the TV, watching the horrifying news. They say the repeated images of their family's tragedy makes things even tougher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): She says she feels real bad because you know that's where it happened and that they're no longer going to come back to us.
BALDWIN: The family's loved ones died traveling on American Airlines flight 587, a total of five -- five family members gone -- a nephew, grandfather, brother, sister-in-law and niece. If there can be any comfort, a tight family unit in a tight family room.
SORAYA FERNANDEZ, FAMILY MEMBER: And they're already just thinking of you, like why you feel -- like well how are you feeling and they're sort of like they're very close to you and they try to make you feel better. BALDWIN: Friends to the De La Cruz was the family of Marcelina Guerrero, also killed aboard the same flight, also another hard story to tell.
RHUDY HERNANDEZ, DAUGHTER OF VICTIM: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I won't be able to see my mom forever. It means (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I won't be able to see my mom. That's the point. No way that I can see my mother again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody I met always liked Ann. She was so nice to everyone. Never had anything bad in her heart. Everything in her heart was good.
BALDWIN: Two hundred sixty on board with at least eight from Rhode Island, all left us way too soon.
In Providence, Michael Baldwin, ABC Six News.
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