Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
U.S. Navy to Rescue Russian Submarine Crew; Operation Quick Strike Focuses on Al Anbar Province; Flight Grounded in Houston After Bomb Scare
Aired August 05, 2005 - 14:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Barbara Starr also working this story from the Pentagon. She's been bringing us updated information on this mission.
Barbara, I know you've been talking with the Navy. It's pretty amazing to watch these live pictures and see these Super Scorpios come aboard this transport plane. And it's nice to see an operation like this going forward, considering a lot of the negative news going on overseas. This hopefully will be a very positive and successful story as they go to try and rescue these crew members in this sub.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, as we continue to look at these pictures of this emergency rescue equipment being loaded on board that C-5 aircraft in Coronado, San Diego, California, let me just take you all behind the scenes for a minute.
We have been talking to Lieutenant Perry off and on since about 6 a.m. this morning, Eastern Time. Lieutenant Perry, the rest of the Navy shop in Hawaii out at the Pacific fleet. Up all night working this issue along with many, many personnel at the Pacific fleet in Hawaii.
The call went overnight to the U.S. naval attache in Moscow, and then as we understand it, Russian naval officials immediately were put in contact with the Pacific fleet in Hawaii. There were meetings throughout the night with high level commanders in the U.S. Navy to try and assemble this rescue package, to get things moving just as fast as they could.
Now they are aware that while this is going on, the Russian navy is continuing its own efforts. They are out there in those waters off of the northern Pacific coast of Russia, trying to see if they can break that minisub loose.
But until something happens one way or the other, the rules of the road for the U.S. Navy in a crisis like this, they keep moving forward. Every naval officer we have talked to involved in this rescue effort that's being assembled as we speak says they're moving as fast as they can. They will keep going. They're going to get on that airplane. They are going to fly all the way to Kamchatka Peninsula, make every effort to get there, and help the Russians just as quickly as they can.
Other material also now being assembled from other locations in the United States. They are even sending a Navy physician who's a specialist in deep sea diving illnesses. When someone is at deep depths, when they come up, sometimes they do experience medical problems. They'll have a U.S. Navy doctor there on that Russian ship to try and help where they can.
A little while ago, we also spoke -- we have some of the Navy crew on the ground in San Diego, talking about their mission that they're undertaking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
1ST LT. RYAN LINDSAY, U.S. AIR FORCE PILOT: When we get there, we'll put the ROV in the water. It will swim down to and conduct a video survey of the situation. Figure out what their right cable or net to cut is, and then it will cut that net free. And hopefully, that will free the vessel and it will be able to return to the surface.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: What they believe is this Russian sub is caught on either fishing nets or cables. The Russians have asked that they be prepared to come with the equipment, we are told, capable of cutting a three- quarter-inch steel cable.
And that's what those Navy underwater vehicles are prepared to do. They have cameras. They have robotic arms. They have cutters. They will be able to go down there, be controlled by Navy personnel on board Russian ships on the surface, and they will try and cut that Russian sub loose once and for all and bring those seven Russian sailors to safety -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And Barbara, we can't help -- we can't forget what happened last time with the Kursk, and that crew died. And how much controversy there was about that. Vladimir Putin receiving a lot of heat for possibly not reacting soon enough.
Do you remember if the U.S. Navy was called in to help with that rescue mission? Can you recall?
STARR: Well, I think the way to put it is there were very intensive consultations between the Russians and various other world navies, including the U.S. Navy, about what they had, what they could send, what they could do.
But you're exactly right, Kyra. The call came simply too late in the issue of the Kursk, where something over 100 Russian sailors lost their lives. It was an extraordinarily different issue, a very sensitive time, of course, for the Russian government.
What has transpired in the last five years is that the Russian Navy really has now, we are told, come into the fold, if you will, of international undersea submarine operations. They belong, along with the U.S. Navy, to some international organizations, military organizations which specialize in this kind of thing.
And actually, it was just a couple of months ago that the Russian Navy, the U.S. Navy, and several other navies held an undersea training exercise off the coast of Italy to practice these kinds of undersea rescue missions.
So the Russians have really come on board, if you will, in the last five years, understanding that it may be to their advantage. It's to every Navy's advantage to have international partners out there in a time of crisis.
PHILLIPS: Absolutely. Barbara Starr, live from the Pentagon. Thank you so much, Barbara. Continue to monitor this for us. We'll continue to talk to you throughout the hour as this rescue mission evolves.
At the same time, while we're monitoring live pictures out of Coronado and the transport plane that these Super Scorpios are being boarded onto to head out to the area where that Russian sub crew is losing oxygen. We're monitoring these live pictures via our affiliate, KETV.
We're also monitoring another developing story, this one out of Wheland (ph), Illinois. These pictures coming to us courtesy WGN, our CNN affiliate there.
It's a suburb of Chicago, Wheland, Illinois (ph), by the way, if you're not familiar with the area. A small plane crash has just taken place. We're just now getting these live pictures in.
It looks like it's in an area where there's possibly -- it looks like a business area. And it looks like it clipped part of a business building, possibly right here as you're seeing via these live pictures. Clipped this building and then has taken on a crash landing there not far from this building.
It looks like a type of industrial complex. There you go. You can see the plane just off, not far from where it clipped that building there.
We don't know how many people were on board, and if indeed anyone is still on board. Don't see any movement at this time. It's possible that those that were on board have already been evacuated. We will continue to follow this small plane crash in this suburb just north of Chicago in Wheland (ph), Illinois.
Meanwhile, back to the other story that we're following for you that's happening right now. That's the Air Force pilot on Coronado Island who said that he and his comrades are more than thrilled to be able to help out a friend. As Barbara Starr reported, it's an unprecedented mission of mercy. And few if any places are better equipped to handle it. That's for sure.
Reporter Amy Fuller, CNN affiliate KUSI, joins me now from naval air station North Island just off San Diego there in Coronado.
Amy, pretty exciting time for the Air Force and the Navy.
AMY FULLER, KUSI CORRESPONDENT: It is, Kyra, an urgent time. Good afternoon to you.
You know the 24-hour warning came at about 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time here in the U.S. So 2 p.m. now. The hours are certainly ticking down. And the crew is aware of that as they try to load this plane with their robots and the boarding member team.
It's a very delicate load here. Now let's tell you just exactly where this submarine is off the coast of Russia at the bottom of the Pacific. We can take a look at the map we have for you. They're in their deep sea diving vessel.
And overnight, the Russian government just said, "We need your help" to the U.S., and that's when all the calls came in.
Now North Island, here off San Diego, is home to the U.S. Navy's only sea submersible equipment that's able to perform such rescue, the Super Scorpios, too, are heading over just moments from now.
So here's what's going to happen. Our U.S. Navy is flying that remotely operated sub, and a team to a Russian airfield. It's set to take off any moment now, once again. It will operate the sub and try and untangle the trapped minisub.
It will take approximately 10 hours in the air, about six hours when they get to sea, for that robot.
Joining me now is 1st Lieutenant Ryan Lindsay who piloted the plane in. You were coming home from Spain when they alerted you that there was an emergency and you needed to land in San Diego right away.
LT. RYAN LINDSAY, U.S. AIR FORCE: That's right. I was stationed at 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis. We were on the way home from our own air base, Spain in support of the Operation Enduring Freedom.
About three hours out of Travis, we got a call from the Navy they needed support with this joint operation. So we were able to divert to Navy North Island here. And once we were on the ground, we immediately started working to off load our cargo and to aid the Navy in putting all their equipment, submergent equipment, on the airplane.
FULLER: Lieutenant, we're already at the point 20 minutes past when they wanted to take off. But this is a delicate loading situation.
LINDSAY: That's right. This is a very complex load. You have to refuel the airplane. The C-5 is the largest airplane in the United States Air Force inventory. So it takes some time. And we have load masters working as hard as they possibly can right now with the weight and balance and strategically placing the cargo.
FULLER: All right. First Lieutenant, we thank you so much for your time and for your service. Appreciate it.
Now let's take a live look for you as the crew loads this U.S. Air Force plane. It looks like we are almost upon the hour of departure. One interesting thing about the team you're seeing marching on right now and the two units that are heading over from the U.S., just over a month ago, interesting timing, they were involved in a very intense NATO exercise meant to get them ready for such a time as this.
It happened in late June in the Mediterranean off the coast of Toronto, Island, "Sorbet Royale 2005 (ph)." They even named it. It was the largest and most challenging live submarine escape and rescue exercise ever conducted.
And again, you see our 40-member crew loading. They're departing for Russia any moment now. A call for help from Russia in a life or death situation as seven submariners are trapped at sea with just hours of oxygen left.
All right, we're live for you outside San Diego, Amy Fuller reporting. Kyra, back to you in the studio.
PHILLIPS: All right, Amy. Thank you so much. We sure appreciate that live report. We'll continue to check in with you and follow that crew as they board up, take off and head out to try and rescue -- rescue the crew members trapped in that sub. As Amy said, not sure how much oxygen is left, but they're losing it quickly. And time is everything in this operation right now.
We're following it. We'll bring you more information as we get it.
Also straight ahead, whether you like it or not, Big Brother is watching you. Later on LIVE FROM, an eye opening look at how much privacy you give up just walking down the street.
And later, a city gathers to pay respects to local men who gave their lives half a world away.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS:
PHILLIPS: A solemn tribute today to some of the 28 American troops killed this week in Iraq. Cleveland, Ohio, honored more than a dozen Marines who were killed in separate attacks. The fallen troops' unit is based in Cleveland suburb Brook Park, which will hold a memorial on Monday.
In Iraq, the military has launched another push against insurgents in the region where the rebellion continues to rage. CNN's Aneesh Raman has the story now from Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Operation Quick Strike goes on in the northwestern volatile province of Al Anbar here in Iraq. Launched Wednesday, the U.S. military says this operation was planned before this week's deadly attacks against U.S. forces. The timing, though, now of clear import.
About 1,000 troops, along with Iraqi forces, are involved. That gives you a sense of the size of this operation.
They are giving us more information about what took place on Friday. Iraqi security forces directing a U.S. air assault on a building where insurgents were shooting. Also, U.S. Marines coming across two buildings that were wired together. When they went inside, they found a number of 150 mm artillery shells. That is a clear insurgent tactic, often something they do as U.S. military forces are going house to house in an area such as this. The Marines were able to destroy those buildings.
Also, reports they are going house to house, looking perhaps suspected insurgents that they have intelligence of that area.
Now this is, of course, a hotbed of insurgent activity in Iraq. Some 14 U.S. Marines were killed on Wednesday northwest of the capital in the town of Haditha in this Al Anbar province, a clear sign of the energy that remains there and the need for these operations to continue going forward.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: A new poll out today confirms Americans view the war in Iraq with increasing concern. Approval of President Bush's handling of the conflict now at an all-time low.
CNN's Elaine Quijano has more from Crawford, Texas, where Mr. Bush is spending time at his ranch -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kyra.
That's right. President Bush, though, showing no sign that he plans to change his strategy on Iraq. As you mentioned, though, the new poll numbers coming out showing that public support for the approach to Iraq is, in fact, falling.
A new Associated Press-Ipsos poll showing just 38 percent of Americans approve of how he has handled the situation in Iraq. That is one of his lowest approval ratings. Fifty-nine percent saying they disapprove.
And when it comes to the overall war on terror and foreign policy, 47 percent say they approve, and 51 percent say they disapprove.
Now, yesterday, President Bush during a visit with the leader of Colombia reiterated his determination to stay on the offense. He again defended his strategy, which includes helping to train Iraqis to fight and providing help with their new government.
And he once again insisted the Iraqis are making progress on the political front. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will stay the course. We will complete the job in Iraq. And the job is this. We will help the Iraqis develop a democracy. They're in the process of writing a constitution which will be ratified in October, and then they will elect a permanent government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now the president makes the comments against the backdrop of an especially bloody week for American forces in Iraq. More than two dozen U.S. troops have been killed since Sunday. And as you mentioned earlier, several of them from the same unit out of Ohio.
But as the president has done before, Mr. Bush refused to outline a timeline for U.S. troops withdrawal, saying that American forces will only return home once Iraqis can take care of their own security -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: That will be interesting to see when exactly that is. Elaine Quijano, thank you.
The latest unemployment numbers show strong gains of both jobs and wages. And that has Wall Street a bit worried. Kathleen Hays live from the New York Stock Exchange to explain why.
Hi, Kathleen.
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The latest now on the terror investigation in Great Britain. Police will keep in custody two women accused of withholding information about the bombing attempts in London two weeks ago.
One is the wife of Hamdi Issac. Issac is suspected of trying to set off a bomb on one of the city's subway trains. He's jailed in Italy and facing extradition to Britain. His wife is charged with failing to give police information that could have helped investigators apprehend a terror suspect. The woman's younger sister faces the same charge. The two will remain in custody until a court hearing next week.
On the political front, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is endorsing a major crack down on extremists who live in Great Britain. New government proposals promise to deport foreign nationals accused of inciting hate and in the process could change some human rights laws.
Reporting from London, here is CNN's Robin Oakley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The bombers who attacked London's public transport system left only a temporary mark on the capital. All subway lines are now back working.
But will the bombers leave a permanent mark on Britain's legal system and its traditional liberal values? Insisting that Britons remain as tolerant as they've always been of other cultures in their midst, Mr. Blair said they were angry, too, at extremists who exploited their tolerance.
And in a new political mood, it was up to the government to do something about it.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We are today signaling a new approach to deportation orders. Let no one be in any doubt the rules of the game are changing.
OAKLEY: So he made clear as the balance between civil liberties and the liberties of the citizen. In the past, Blair's government has been accused of letting its capital become "Londonistan" by failing to crack down harder on preachers like Abu Katada (ph). Copies of his sermons were found in a Hamburg flat used by some 9/11 hijackers.
And then there's Abu Hamza, facing trial for incitement to murder and stirring up racial hatred.
Now the government plans to stiffen existing paths to make it easier to exclude or deport the so-called preachers of hate, regardless of their nationality. Fostering hatred or advocating violence to further a set of beliefs will become grounds for deportation.
The government also plans a list of undesirable extremist web sites, book shops, centers and organizations of concern.
BLAIR: Active engagement with any of these will be a trigger for the home secretary to consider the deportation of any foreign national.
OAKLEY: Mr. Blair plans to consult the Muslim community about the vetting of foreign imams who come in to teach at British mosques. But he also wants Muslims to work harder at integration. Respect for their religion and culture is fine, he says, but...
BLAIR: When they withdraw and become separate in a very deliberate way, that is -- that is unhealthy in my view.
OAKLEY: The Liberal Democrats, led by Charles Kennedy, are warning the news laws could prejudice all party cooperation. And several liberties groups warn of overreaction.
SAMI CHAKRABARTI, DIRECTOR, LIBERTY: More tough talk, more tough legislation hasn't made us safe in the past. And I fear that it will divide us and make it less -- make us less safe in the future.
OAKLEY (on camera): Mr. Blair believes the British Parliament and people are now in a mood for action against the extremists and ready to accept more restrictive measures than in the past. Though there will be careful consultation with the Muslim community, the program announced Friday, he insisted, is only the beginning.
Robin Oakley, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Iran confirmed today it has received a new offer from Europe to pledge it won't develop nuclear weapons. In the package put forward today, Britain, France, and Germany have apparently sweetened an earlier offer to help Iran acquire civilian nuclear assets.
Iran says it's studying the new proposal, which runs about 30 pages. While insisting its program is peaceful, Iran has threatened steps to enrich uranium, as you know, which is used in nuke weapons. Western governments have threatened, in return, to refer Tehran to the U.N. Security Council.
U.S. envoy to the nuclear talks with North Korea is expressing frustration today. After 11 days of discussions, the State Department's Christopher Hill says the six-nation talks in Beijing made progress on some details, but regressed on others. The parties have not yet agreed on a frame work for talking about the North's nuclear weapons.
Straight ahead, cleaning up the trash in space. The Discovery crew packs up for the trip home. A live report from mission control just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: And this just in to CNN. Live pictures here via our affiliate KHOU out of Houston, Texas.
This Southwest Airline flight, Flight 21, took off from Dallas but had to land here at Houston Lobby -- or Houston Hobby Airport due to a threat on the aircraft. We're not sure what type of threat. We are -- what we're talking about at this point. Some type of threat. We'd heard earlier possibly a bomb scare. We cannot confirm that. We just know it's some type of threat to the aircraft.
It did land safely, as you can see. Authorities are responding now to the scene. We are told that the passengers are off that aircraft already, and they are being questioned right now.
If you're just tuning in, these live pictures coming to us our CNN affiliate in Houston, KHOU. This is Southwest Airlines Flight 21 that took off from Dallas not long ago but had to make an immediate landing in Houston at the airport here, due to some type of threat on the aircraft. It did land safely, as you can see. Authorities are responding. A number of different agencies.
Now, I was told that all passengers were off the aircraft and they're being questioned. But I'm not sure if that's correct information, because I'm seeing a ladder actually being brought up to the cockpit door, which means it's very possible they have not been evacuated and we may see passengers getting off that plane in just a few seconds or a few minutes. We'll wait and see, because normally when this just happens, there's a lot of emergency vehicles around and buses around that will take passengers off.
And I'm seeing now in that live picture, here comes the bus. So I don't think that information is correct. I don't think that -- I think the passengers are still on that plane.
So this could deem very interesting, because if there was some type of threat to that aircraft, and everybody is still on board, we don't know what that threat is. We don't know if it could be a passenger that got rowdy or made some type of threat. We don't know if possibly there might be some type of device on board that could have pilots and crew concerned at this point.
But as you can see, police vehicles and obviously authorities rushing up to that aircraft right now. We're going to hold on this live picture, because if, indeed, something is going on inside that aircraft, we want to bring it to you live, of course.
If you're just tuning in, a developing story right now, this Southwest Airlines Flight 21 from Dallas, landing in Houston. Authorities responding. You can see a number of the police cars now responding to -- it looks like they're going to go up and open up the cockpit door. There you go.
Some type of threat on board. That's why this aircraft had to -- that took off from Dallas had to land immediately in Houston. Haven't been able to confirm what type of threat. Don't know if it's a specific passenger or passengers or something that might be on board that aircraft.
We had been told earlier that that plane had been evacuated and passengers were being questioned, but it doesn't look like that's the case, as we see a number of emergency personnel, looks like possibly police officers responding to something that has definitely concerned the FAA, the authorities and Southwest Airlines. Don't know how they got the information that there was some type of problem, but you can see now crews working feverishly to get that ladder up to the cockpit and assess the situation.
We'll wait and see if the passengers will be taken off. We do see that there are buses just outside of the aircraft there that obviously will take the passengers back to a safe location. They're having a bit of trouble there with the ladder. But as you can imagine -- you know how it is when you fly and it takes time to pull up and get connected and get off that aircraft.
And obviously, they're moving quickly, as we see the fire department, various emergency personnel, and the police quickly rush up to this aircraft, which just landed -- had to land, according to some type of threat aboard that aircraft. It's Southwest Airlines Flight 21, and these live pictures are coming to us from Houston, Texas via our affiliate KHOU.
Our Jeanne Meserve, of course, who works this beat, works her sources, and finds out as much information as she can for us, joining us live in Washington, D.C. Jeanne, we had gotten information that these passengers were off this aircraft and they were being questioned. But it doesn't look like that's case at all. It looks like they are just now getting to that aircraft and trying to figure out what's going on.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. We had gotten some reports they were already off. Obviously, you're right. They aren't off yet. What I was told by a TSA spokeswoman is while this flight was in the air, flying, as you've mentioned, from Dallas to Houston, a passenger claimed that he had found a note with threatening language on it.
We do not know exactly what the threatening language was, but it was along the lines of, there's a bomb on board this plane. So it landed as it was supposed to in Houston, but when it got there, they moved it to the end of the runway. According to one account, they taxied it off the runway. I can't tell from this picture whether they're on or off.
But they obviously have brought up those stairs. They are taking the passengers off. The passengers will all be questioned while they try to get to the bottom of this. And they are bringing in a canine units in. Those will be sweeping that aircraft to see if, indeed, they find anything at all on board the aircraft -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So you're saying that a passenger -- it was some sort of threatening language by one passenger?
MESERVE: Well, the passenger -- as I'm told by the TSA, the passenger found a note, he says, and on that note was some threatening language. One presumes that the note was then handed over to the flight attendants. The individuals with whom I'm speaking are getting very preliminary information themselves. They could not tell me the specifics of what that note said or where it might have been found, whether it was found in a seat, whether it was found in the pocket in the back of the seat, whether it was found in a lavatory. We simply do not have those kinds of details at this point.
PHILLIPS: Well, once again, Jeanne, I mean, this just shows the immediate response and how prepared Homeland Security personnel and other authorities are to respond to something like this. And that whether it's on a note or somebody standing up and saying something, any type of threat at all, considering our environment right now, is taken extremely seriously, and this is the outcome.
MESERVE: It certainly is. And you will see signage in some airports at checkpoints, saying, you don't joke about this stuff, we take it seriously. Clearly, in this day and age, they have to take it seriously. They will investigate this to the utmost to try to get to the bottom of it. There have been instances where charges have been pressed against people for making these kinds of threats, either on the ground or in the air. So they will be working very hard to figure this out. I'm told that the Houston police are also involved in this effort. It isn't purely TSA and the airport police involved in this.
PHILLIPS: OK, so the FBI is not brought in at this point or the Marhsal Service?
MESERVE: I don't have that information, Kyra. They may be, but that information hasn't reached me at this point in time.
PHILLIPS: OK, so from this point -- well, we're watching the passengers come off the plane right now. And if you're just tuning in, we're getting live pictures now via another one our affiliates there in Houston, Texas, KPRC.
This is Southwest Airlines 21 that took off from Dallas, Texas, but had to land in Houston -- Houston Hobby Airport, due to a threat that was on board that aircraft. Our Jeanne Meserve now telling us somebody came across some type of note that obviously got the crew concerned. The plane had to land. It landed safely. Authorities now responding to the aircraft, getting all the passengers off the plane.
And Jeanne, you were saying now, they -- will they question every single passenger? Will it just be the passenger that possibly found this note? I mean, how -- I would imagine there's hours of interrogation of some sort that goes on after this
MESERVE: Hard for me to say exactly from where I'm sitting, but I would imagine if this passenger is claiming that he found the note, they can't only talk to that one passenger. They have to talk to others, as they try and determine its origin.
PHILLIPS: Of course, somebody else could have left that note also.
MESERVE: And it could have been left on from a previous flight. That's always a possibility. Of course, they do clean up the aircraft, but I imagine sometimes things are left behind.
PHILLIPS: Do you know where this flight 21 was headed to, Jeanne?
MESERVE: My information was that it was headed to Houston, that that was, in fact, its destination. It was leaving Dallas, going to Houston. So it landed exactly where it was expected to, just under very different circumstances.
PHILLIPS: Do we know how many passengers, by chance, were on board this aircraft?
MESERVE: I was initially told that there were 142 passengers and crew. I have now been told by both the airport and also a spokesperson for the TSA, the actual number is 141. Because that number's changed, I don't know the exact breakdown between passengers and crew on the aircraft.
PHILLIPS: All right. As we continue to roll on this developing story, Southwest Airlines 21 that was taking off from Dallas. There was some type of threat to the aircraft. That was the word that we got at first. Now our Jeanne Meserve telling us that it was involving a note that was discovered on that aircraft. It obviously got crew -- the crew concerned. And they were headed to Houston, according to Jeanne, and obviously landing under different circumstances.
You're seeing here, emergency personnel, police, and ambulance responding to the aircraft quickly, getting that ladder out there. And now one by one, authorities are taking all the passengers off that plane. Our Jeanne Meserve telling us 141 passenger and crew on that aircraft.
Now, Jeanne, it does look to be a good sign that people are calmly stepping off this aircraft. It doesn't look like a lot of people are very panicked at this point. That could be a good sign. I mean, I hate to assume anything, but it seems like this is going well and under standard operating procedure.
MESERVE: One could make that assumption. Let me just update you a little bit. We now have a statement from a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines. According to him, there were 136 passengers and 5 crew on board this aircraft. It was, by the way, a Boeing 737. And according to this spokesperson, this flight had left Dallas and was scheduled to go to Corpus Christi, Texas, not to Houston.
PHILLIPS: OK.
MESERVE: So just that little update for you.
PHILLIPS: All right. Corpus Christi. Now what if -- Jeanne, what's the normal procedure? Let's say somebody at home is watching this live coverage, knows that somebody was on Flight Southwest 21 heading from Dallas to Corpus Christi, but now has been diverted, obviously, to Houston, Texas. How do they go about getting information on whomever they may know that's on that aircraft? Possibly a child or a parent or a friend?
MESERVE: Well, if they know they're on that aircraft, they can look at these pictures and know that they're fine. The flight has landed, they're in Houston. They're getting off. I'm sure that the airline and perhaps the airports will be providing them some further information on whether they'll be able to travel onto what we now was the final destination, which was Corpus Christi.
PHILLIPS: OK, so once again, Flight Southwest 21 taking off from Dallas, was heading to Corpus Christi, had to land here at Houston Airport. You're looking at live pictures via our CNN affiliate KHOU. There were 136 passengers on board, and you said four crew members? Is that right, Jeanne?
MESERVE: Five. Five crew members.
PHILLIPS: Five crew members. OK, and five crew. They had to land. Apparently, what we're getting now is that it landed safely. The passengers, one by one, are being taken off the aircraft. You can see that a law enforcement official is with every single passenger that is coming off that plane. We had heard earlier that there was some type of threat to that aircraft. Now, according to our Jeanne Meserve, who -- her sources are telling her it was some type of note that was on that aircraft. It got, of course, the crew concerned, so they had to land. Jeanne, I would assume just for the sake of everything going smoothly, that's why a law enforcement official, one by one, goes to the aircraft and takes the passengers off one by one. I mean, it's a slow, methodical, safe process.
MESERVE: That's what would it appear to be from these pictures that we're looking at right now. One other thing I might mention, Kyra, Houston, very busy airport. A spokesperson for the airport there says that other operations have not been effected by this. As I mentioned, they took this plane off to a remote area so they could through these procedures. Other flights, we are told, are not affected, landing and taking off pretty much as scheduled.
PHILLIPS: All right. And I told -- we're working, actually, a Southwest spokesperson right now, Jeanne. OK, we do have here, so Jeanne, stand by. See what you information you can get to add to our coverage here we continue to roll on this story.
Once again, Southwest Flight 21 that was heading from Dallas to Corpus Christi has been diverted. It had to land in Houston, Texas. Some type of threat on that aircraft. Our Jeanne Meserve telling us now it was some type of note that got the crew concerned. Now you see the authorities, one by one, taking the passengers off that aircraft.
Edna Ruano is the spokesperson for Southwest Airlines. She's joining us now by telephone. What can you tell us, Edna? Is it indeed a note that got the crew concerned? Is that why this aircraft had to land?
EDNA RUANO, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SPOKESPERSON: Well, at this time, I can tell you that there was a threat received about Flight 21. As to the specifics, I can't share that with you. We are working with local authorities on this investigation. And one thing that I definitely want to emphasize is that this flight landed safely, with all 136 passengers on board.
PHILLIPS: So 136 passengers, in addition to five crew members? Is that right?
RUANO: Correct.
PHILLIPS: OK. Now, tell me, Edna, when something -- obviously, well, we're getting word from our sources that it was some type of threatening note that was found on that aircraft. Can you confirm that it was a note and it was on that aircraft?
RUANO: Well, at this time -- at this time, I can't release any of the specifics. We are working with the local authorities, so as the investigation is underway, more information will be released.
PHILLIPS: OK, so let me ask you this. When that happens -- let's say a note was discovered -- tell me the procedures that happen. Does the crew contact the FAA? Is it the pilot? Was there some type of signal that the pilot gave via the communication system to let authorities know there was a problem? Tell us how the pilot decided -- or made the decision to land there in Houston. RUANO: Well, typically, in a situation like this when a threat received about a flight, our employees are well-trained with the procedures that they have to take, as to keeping the customers' safety in mind. So we would take the appropriate procedures in forming our dispatch, and from there take the appropriate measures.
PHILLIPS: OK now -- all of the passengers that we're seeing get off the aircraft right now, will they all be questioned one by one?
RUANO: That's something that the local authorities would be handling, so at this time I don't have that information.
PHILLIPS: So right now, it's Houston police and the TSA that's handling this right now. Is that right?
RUANO: Right now, it's the Houston Police Department, the airport division, specifically.
PHILLIPS: OK, so the airport division. Now, do you know if every passenger is OK on this aircraft?
RUANO: Well, that's one thing that our Southwest folks down in Houston are working with, making sure that our employees are taking care of our customers and just making sure that any customer that needs to go on to their final destination is reaccommodated. And we're making sure that they're safe.
PHILLIPS: And has this affected any other flights there at the Houston Airport at this time?
RUANO: At this time, it hasn't affected any other operations that we have in place.
PHILLIPS: When's the last time this happened with Southwest Airlines, Enda?
RUANO: At this time, I can't recall, and I'd have to do some investigation to get back on -- back to you on that.
PHILLIPS: Well, if anything, this shows how seriously you take threats. Why don't you go ahead and tell us what the Southwest Airlines' policy is if someone were to make a threat, verbally, via a note, via a phone call. This is what will happen, correct?
RUANO: Well, just to kind of give you an idea, typically, we train our employees on the appropriate procedures if any threat is received. So there are procedures in place. We do do emergency drills periodically throughout the year. So our employees are well- trained in handling any type of threat like this.
PHILLIPS: And did the call actually come from the pilot or a crew member?
RUANO: The call comes from the pilot. The pilot, specifically the captain, makes the decision as to what to do with the aircraft. PHILLIPS: So the captain decided to make sure this plane landed. Was Houston the closest airport? It obviously -- it took off from Dallas, headed to Corpus Christi. So he just made the decision -- or she, it could be a he or she -- to land this aircraft at the closest airport. Is that what happens when a threat is made? It's wherever you can get availability?
RUANO: If the captain decides on that. And, obviously, working with air traffic control to find the nearest location. And at that time, it was Houston Hobby.
PHILLIPS: OK, so the FBI has not been called in yet, is that right?
RUANO; Right now, I don't know the specifics about that. Like I said, the only thing I can definitely share is that we are working with the local authorities, so the local authorities would be handling any communication with the FBI at this time.
PHILLIPS: OK, Edna Ruano, that Southwest spokesperson coming on and trying to give us as much information as possible. Thank you so much, Edna.
If you're just tuning in, you're watching live pictures now from our CNN affiliate KHOU out of Houston, Texas. This is Southwest Airlines Flight 21, that was taking off from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. And some type of threat took place on that aircraft, and it had to land in Houston, at the Houston Hobby Airport. It was headed to Corpus Christi, Texas. And as you just heard from our Southwest spokesperson, that due to that threat, the pilot made the call that that plane needed to come down, needed to hit ground, and that each passenger needed to get off the plane, as you're seeing now, one by one.
I'm told this is the airport division of the Houston Police Department. You are seeing officers come aboard the plane and take those passengers off calmly, one by one. They're getting, obviously, on the small buses there and heading back to the airport.
What the TSA is reporting now is that a passenger found a note with threatening language. Southwest Airlines would not confirm that to me, but that's what TSA is reporting and, of course, telling our Jeanne Meserve, who's coming to us live out of Washington, D.C., who has to deal with these types of threats all the time, and trying to get all the facts possible for us.
Jeanne, as we continue to look at these live pictures, anything else that you can adds as we're trying to find out more about that threat onboard this aircraft?
MESERVE: We just know these are dangerous times. There are constant advisories coming out from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, out to local law enforcement, to the airlines, to everyone, saying, you know, although we are not at an elevated threat level in any part of the transportation sector except rail, there's always ongoing concern about aviation. Al Qaeda has used aviation before as a means of attack. And this is where the bulk of Homeland Security money has been spent to date, shoring up the security in this specific sector. Federal air marshals, as you know, their numbers greatly beefed up, put on many aircrafts. We do not know if there were any federal air marshals on this flight or not. But clearly, every single time there is any sort of indication of any kind of threat to an aircraft, this is the kind of response you're going to see.
PHILLIPS: All right, Jeanne, I'm told we have Clark Kent Irvin, our security analyst, on the line with us now. Clark, first of all, as you're watching this unfold, can you determine at all if you think that everything is OK? You're obviously -- the door is open, passengers are coming off one by one. Can you go as far as saying that's a good sign?
CLARK KENT IRVIN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, it appears to be a good sign, Kyra. Of course, we can't tell for sure, but there certainly seems to be calm. It seems as though the passengers are proceeding down the jetway there in a very, very calm and deliberate fashion. It appears as though everything that should be done has been done here. It seems as though the pilot took exactly the right action by going to the nearest airport. Incidentally, I should mention that I happen to be in Houston myself, actually, right now.
PHILLIPS: So you're there at the airport?
IRVIN: I'm actually not at the airport, but I'm not very far away. I landed myself in Houston about a couple of hours ago at the other major airport in Houston, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
PHILLIPS: Well, since you're there, we're going to expect you to work this story, Clark. You may want to head over to the other airport there. OK, so let me ask you, as the authorities are taking every passenger off, obviously, without purses, bags, et cetera, I'm assuming this aircraft has to be searched and they have to take all precautions, hoping that nothing else is on there, like a bomb or any other type of device or dangerous material?
IRVIN: That's right. The plane will be thoroughly searched by TSA personnel and the local law enforcement authorities there. I'm sure the FBI is going to be brought in, as well. And, of course, each and every one of the passengers will be extensively questioned, as well, to make sure that none of the passengers is a threat.
PHILLIPS: Now, our Jeanne Meserve reported that there was a canine on the scene. What happens? Do all the passengers come off first and the dog comes on? Or is it possible the dog is already on that aircraft? What's the procedure?
IRVIN: Well, it's possible that the dog was put on before the passengers were all departing, but I think the more likely procedure would be to have the dog go on afterwards, just to see if there are any traces of explosives on the plane. But, the passengers would be questioned. They would be searched. I'm sure explosive trace detection measures will be taken with regard to the passengers, as well, just to have every assurance that there is absolutely no threat on the plane itself or from any of the passengers.
PHILLIPS: Now, even though the Houston Police Department, the airport division of the Houston Police Department and the TSA, both agencies working this right now -- isn't the FBI always called in when a bomb -- or any type of threat is made?
IRVIN: Absolutely. There's no question that the FBI, the local branch in FBI -- there is a branch of the FBI here in Houston -- will be involved in this. And I'm sure they've already been alerted and they're probably already on the scene.
PHILLIPS: OK, and I'm just being told that this plane, Clark, was headed to Corpus Christi, but it was set to land at Houston Airport and then go on to Corpus Christi. So if you're just tuning in, you're watching live pictures via our affiliate KHOU in Houston, Texas. Flight 21 -- Southwest Flight 21, leaving Dallas, ultimate destination Corpus Christi, was planning on stopping in Houston first, but had to even -- probably quicker than expected, due to a threat on the aircraft.
According to the TSA, some type of note with threatening language was found on that aircraft. So the pilot made the decision to land immediately. It's the pilot's decision -- or the pilot is the one that makes contact with air traffic control, lets them know that there is some type of threat, whether it be a note or somebody saying something that was on board.
Now, Clark, I'm looking -- each passenger, as they come out, they stand at the top and they basically have to wait until each passenger is escorted by police on to that bus. So this is a very, slow methodical safe process. Because you still don't know what you're dealing with, right?
IRVIN: That's exactly right. It's got to be determined whether any of the passengers themselves left the note and if so, whether that passenger is himself or herself a threat. So this needs to be done in a very deliberate fashion, and it appears as though that's exactly what's taking place.
PHILLIPS: All right, so it's possible that one of these passengers could be the one that wrote the note. Is it possible that authorities could have already apprehended somebody that wrote that note?
IRVIN: Well, of course, it's just pure speculation. We have no way of knowing. But, certainly, that's possible. The note apparently was found on board the plane, so it's certainly reasonable to think that at least one possibility might be that somebody on the plane, if the person who wrote the note made the threat. But that needs to be determined, and I'm sure that's what the authorities are attempting to determine right now.
PHILLIPS: And, Clark, once again, since 9/11, any type of threat -- it's just, you can't mess around. You see the signs in the airports, you see it as you're going through security. You're told consistently not to joke around, because any type of threat is really going to be taken seriously, and this is what's going to happen. The plane will more than likely land, and your flight and your day will definitely be affected.
IRVIN: That's exactly right. And furthermore, of course, we have to mention the backdrop here, that there's been a spade of attacks, attempted attacks in London. And, so, of course, we're on a heightened state of awareness here in this country as to the possibility of a terrorist attack in the United States. Now, of course, that was the mass transit context, but as Jeanne Meserve noted, aviation security remains a concern.
PHILLIPS: Clark Kent Irvin, stay with us.
I just want to recap for our viewers real quickly. If you're just tuning in, you're looking at live pictures via our affiliate out of Houston, KHOU. Southwest Airlines Flight 21 that took off from Dallas, Texas, and was -- it planned, actually, on landing here in Houston and then going on to Corpus Christi, but some type of threat to the aircraft took place while this aircraft was airborn. The TSA now saying it was some type of note that had threatening language. So the captain made the decision to land that plane immediately.
And authorities responded immediately. The Houston police, the airport division, and also the TSA now one by one taking those passengers off that plane. We are told a canine is there that, of course, will be sniffing for any type of explosives. You see that the passengers are not coming off with any purses or bags, and that's because everything on board that aircraft will have to be checked. Every passenger is being accounted for. 136 passengers, five crew members.
Our Jeanne Meserve, working the story for us out of the Washington bureau, I understand has some new information now -- Jeanne.
MESERVE: That's right, Kyra. We've have had a conversation with an official with the FBI in Houston. You had asked earlier whether they are involved. They are on the scene, but apparently, the TSA and Houston police have the lead on this. The FBI is in -- assisting them in the investigation. They characterize the bomb sweep as ongoing.
Let me give you these two important pieces of information. According to this FBI official, there is no apparent terrorist threat. This official also said this does not appear to be significant. This official backs up what the TSA told me earlier, that a note was found on this aircraft by a passenger and then given on to a stewardess. The language in the note indicated that there was a bomb on board. The note was found and passed on the stewardess, in this very short hop between Dallas and Houston.
PHILLIPS: Well, that's great news. So the note did say that there was some type of bomb on board, according to your source. But your source also telling you it does not appear to be a terrorist threat, and that this is not as significant as we may have thought, correct?
MESERVE: That is correct, but of course, they will check everything out. They are doing that right now. We can see this as they file these passengers off one by one. They bring in the canine units, they go over the plane to make absolutely sure there is nothing present.
PHILLIPS: Clark Kent Irvin, let me ask you. With that new information that Jeanne Meserve just brought to us, this has got to be the most frustrating part. Because, if, indeed, this note said there was a bomb on board and, if, indeed, it does turn out to not be deemed a terrorist threat and this is not a significant incident -- it's got to be frustrating financially, also just for the pilot, for the air crew, for the airlines, for all these passengers that somebody would do this and cause, really, a disturbance for all these parties.
IRVIN: That's exactly right. And if this person can be found, then obviously, he or she should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Of course, we should thankful, if, in fact, this proves to be nothing. But we should also thank the authorities for taking the action that they've taken.
Of course, there's no way to determine at the beginning whether an incident that appears to be a terrorist attack or a threatened terrorist attack is, in fact, one until a investigation is conducted. But if this proves not to have been one, which, of course, we all hope to be the case, then people -- or the person who perpetrated this needs to be dissuaded from doing it again, and a signal needs to be sent throughout the country to other people not to do this for all the reasons you said.
PHILLIPS: Point well made. Clark Kent Irvin, our security analyst, thank you so much. And our Jeanne Meserve, working this story out of our Washington bureau.
Just to recap real quickly before we go to break, live pictures coming to you from our CNN affiliate KHOU in Houston, Texas. Southwest Flight 21 from Dallas, headed to Corpus Christi, landing here in Houston, Texas. Apparently a note on board said there was a bomb on board. But according to Jeanne Meserve's sources, this is not being deemed a terrorist threat and it is not significant. Very good news. We'll continue to follow the outcome.
We're going to take a quick break. More LIVE FROM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
