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American Morning
Search for Clues in Shuttle Tragedy
Aired February 03, 2003 - 08:03 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back now to the search for clues in the shuttle tragedy. Now a team led by the admiral who investigated the USS Cole bombing is planning to meet at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
That's where we find Mike Brooks this morning live from that area with more -- good morning, Mike.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
You're correct. As you said, the admiral, Admiral Harold Gehman, is chairing that board. It's an independent board that's being called the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. That board is made up of representatives from the United States Air Force, Navy, the Department of Transportation, FAA, as well as one senior manager of NASA.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADM. HAROLD GEHMAN, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION CHIEF: We will look at everything from broken, twisted metal and metallurgy up to top level management practices and policies. We will work rapidly, but diligently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS: Also, Paula, the grim task of debris and recovery of body parts goes on in Texas and Louisiana. Yesterday afternoon, Black Hawk helicopters flew in the remains of some of the astronauts here to Barksdale Air Force Base and pathologists will attempt today to find out exactly who the remains are and maybe bring some closure to some of the astronauts' families -- Paula.
ZAHN: So, Mike, what do the investigators see as the biggest challenge they're going to confront down the road here given the wide swath of the debris field?
BROOKS: Well, the investigators from NASA are going to be taking a look at all of the technical data and then all of the debris is, if we, as you've seen reported, in Nagadoches, Texas alone, there's over 800, almost 1,000 different debris sites, in Texas alone and going also into Louisiana.
Just keeping the sites secure, I think, is one of the biggest problems right now that officials are facing. And I again want to remind people that if they do find debris, don't touch it. Notify your local authorities. Some of the residue on the debris can be extremely toxic. As well, it's against the law. The FBI will start coming after you if you do take some of this debris.
We've heard stories of some of this debris being offered on eBay already and, you know, some of this ghoulish curiosity, if you will, I think will not be tolerated by officials -- Paula.
ZAHN: Yes, in spite of what you say, Mike, there's a report this morning that's saying that 70 people in Nagadoches County, Texas alone went to local hospitals because they touched bits of the wreckage. So I guess we can't give this warning often enough, can we?
BROOKS: No, we can't, Paula, and it's extremely important that people get that message and we get that out to them. And if they do find something, call their local fire and police departments and they will respond out and help them keep that secure -- Paula.
ZAHN: Mike Brooks reporting live from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
Thanks so much -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From Israel, Paula, people there gathering to remember the life of Ilan Ramon. He's the first Israeli to go into space. Also, in India people are mourning the loss of Kalpana Chawla, the Indian born crew member. She immigrated to the U.S. back in the 1980s.
Two reports now, both perspectives now.
Jerrold Kessel is live in Jerusalem and our New Delhi bureau chief Satinder Bindra is live with us in Delhi.
Let's start in Jerusalem with Jerrold for more there -- hello.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.
Israel, indeed, in mourning, in mourning in concert with its best friend, the United States. But not just in mourning, trying to come to grips with the bitter reality of how a mission which had lifted, so dramatically lifted the flagging, the desperate spirits of the nation could disintegrate into tears, tears, bitter tears for a national hero. Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut aboard the ill-fated Columbia, had spoken from space of the vulnerability, vulnerability of planet earth, he said, and vulnerability is something with which Israelis can identify and they, that's something that resonates with them.
But he never spoke of disaster. He never spoke of death. He never contemplated it, says his wife Rona, speaking for the first time since the disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RONA RAMON, ILAN RAMON'S WIFE: He had no fear. He left us with the impression that everything was going to be fine. He didn't doubt that. He didn't even leave a will. He was taking everything with a smile and that's how we will continue living. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Rona Ramon said he died happy, doing what he wanted to do. And she also revealed that the youngest of their four children, 5-year-old Noah, had said when they were all whooping with delight at the blastoff just two and a half weeks ago, she said, "I've lost my daddy." And her mother mused, "Lost my daddy, maybe she knew that something was wrong."
Bill.
HEMMER: Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem, thanks for that.
Satinder Bindra now in New Delhi, where we continue to track the world reaction to the Columbia disaster of Saturday -- Satinder, hello.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill. Hello, Paula.
Well, just as in Israel, a very somber, very sad mood here. The grieving continues in New Delhi and just a short while ago there was a prayer ceremony for Kalpana Chawla, one of the astronauts on board that mission. Now, Kalpana Chawla, of course, a U.S. citizen, but she was born in India and she continued to maintain very close ties with the country of her birth. For many people, she was a heroine.
Now, just north of here there is a small city where Kalpana Chawla was born. The city is called Karnal. And already the local administration there has declared two days of official mourning. Even in death, Kalpana Chawla remains a very powerful figure. She's come to symbolize for one billion Indians that it's possible to dream, it's possible to reach out and touch the stars.
Now, over the next few days, there's a lot of pressure on the Indian government. More and more Indians appealing to New Delhi that they should confer a major award on Kalpana Chawla. They say that's one way of remembering her and that's the best way of keeping her alive in their hearts -- back to you now.
HEMMER: A great touch there.
Satinder, thank you.
Satinder Bindra in New Delhi.
Back in this country now, quickly, we want to show you some of the images that have captured the emotions of the tragedy of Columbia. In Wisconsin, a snow sculpture of the seven astronauts in the front of some American yard there. A cross marking the spot in Texas. An astronaut's remains were found in this location. Also in that state, a person in mourning at the Lyndon Johnson Space Center. That's in Houston.
Also in Florida, a mourner at the Kennedy Space Center collects his thoughts, as well, one of the countless reactions that we have gathered over the past 48 hours right now. And it has not even been that just yet. Coming up right around the 48 hour mark in about an hour's time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 3, 2003 - 08:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back now to the search for clues in the shuttle tragedy. Now a team led by the admiral who investigated the USS Cole bombing is planning to meet at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
That's where we find Mike Brooks this morning live from that area with more -- good morning, Mike.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
You're correct. As you said, the admiral, Admiral Harold Gehman, is chairing that board. It's an independent board that's being called the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. That board is made up of representatives from the United States Air Force, Navy, the Department of Transportation, FAA, as well as one senior manager of NASA.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADM. HAROLD GEHMAN, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION CHIEF: We will look at everything from broken, twisted metal and metallurgy up to top level management practices and policies. We will work rapidly, but diligently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS: Also, Paula, the grim task of debris and recovery of body parts goes on in Texas and Louisiana. Yesterday afternoon, Black Hawk helicopters flew in the remains of some of the astronauts here to Barksdale Air Force Base and pathologists will attempt today to find out exactly who the remains are and maybe bring some closure to some of the astronauts' families -- Paula.
ZAHN: So, Mike, what do the investigators see as the biggest challenge they're going to confront down the road here given the wide swath of the debris field?
BROOKS: Well, the investigators from NASA are going to be taking a look at all of the technical data and then all of the debris is, if we, as you've seen reported, in Nagadoches, Texas alone, there's over 800, almost 1,000 different debris sites, in Texas alone and going also into Louisiana.
Just keeping the sites secure, I think, is one of the biggest problems right now that officials are facing. And I again want to remind people that if they do find debris, don't touch it. Notify your local authorities. Some of the residue on the debris can be extremely toxic. As well, it's against the law. The FBI will start coming after you if you do take some of this debris.
We've heard stories of some of this debris being offered on eBay already and, you know, some of this ghoulish curiosity, if you will, I think will not be tolerated by officials -- Paula.
ZAHN: Yes, in spite of what you say, Mike, there's a report this morning that's saying that 70 people in Nagadoches County, Texas alone went to local hospitals because they touched bits of the wreckage. So I guess we can't give this warning often enough, can we?
BROOKS: No, we can't, Paula, and it's extremely important that people get that message and we get that out to them. And if they do find something, call their local fire and police departments and they will respond out and help them keep that secure -- Paula.
ZAHN: Mike Brooks reporting live from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
Thanks so much -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From Israel, Paula, people there gathering to remember the life of Ilan Ramon. He's the first Israeli to go into space. Also, in India people are mourning the loss of Kalpana Chawla, the Indian born crew member. She immigrated to the U.S. back in the 1980s.
Two reports now, both perspectives now.
Jerrold Kessel is live in Jerusalem and our New Delhi bureau chief Satinder Bindra is live with us in Delhi.
Let's start in Jerusalem with Jerrold for more there -- hello.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.
Israel, indeed, in mourning, in mourning in concert with its best friend, the United States. But not just in mourning, trying to come to grips with the bitter reality of how a mission which had lifted, so dramatically lifted the flagging, the desperate spirits of the nation could disintegrate into tears, tears, bitter tears for a national hero. Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut aboard the ill-fated Columbia, had spoken from space of the vulnerability, vulnerability of planet earth, he said, and vulnerability is something with which Israelis can identify and they, that's something that resonates with them.
But he never spoke of disaster. He never spoke of death. He never contemplated it, says his wife Rona, speaking for the first time since the disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RONA RAMON, ILAN RAMON'S WIFE: He had no fear. He left us with the impression that everything was going to be fine. He didn't doubt that. He didn't even leave a will. He was taking everything with a smile and that's how we will continue living. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Rona Ramon said he died happy, doing what he wanted to do. And she also revealed that the youngest of their four children, 5-year-old Noah, had said when they were all whooping with delight at the blastoff just two and a half weeks ago, she said, "I've lost my daddy." And her mother mused, "Lost my daddy, maybe she knew that something was wrong."
Bill.
HEMMER: Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem, thanks for that.
Satinder Bindra now in New Delhi, where we continue to track the world reaction to the Columbia disaster of Saturday -- Satinder, hello.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill. Hello, Paula.
Well, just as in Israel, a very somber, very sad mood here. The grieving continues in New Delhi and just a short while ago there was a prayer ceremony for Kalpana Chawla, one of the astronauts on board that mission. Now, Kalpana Chawla, of course, a U.S. citizen, but she was born in India and she continued to maintain very close ties with the country of her birth. For many people, she was a heroine.
Now, just north of here there is a small city where Kalpana Chawla was born. The city is called Karnal. And already the local administration there has declared two days of official mourning. Even in death, Kalpana Chawla remains a very powerful figure. She's come to symbolize for one billion Indians that it's possible to dream, it's possible to reach out and touch the stars.
Now, over the next few days, there's a lot of pressure on the Indian government. More and more Indians appealing to New Delhi that they should confer a major award on Kalpana Chawla. They say that's one way of remembering her and that's the best way of keeping her alive in their hearts -- back to you now.
HEMMER: A great touch there.
Satinder, thank you.
Satinder Bindra in New Delhi.
Back in this country now, quickly, we want to show you some of the images that have captured the emotions of the tragedy of Columbia. In Wisconsin, a snow sculpture of the seven astronauts in the front of some American yard there. A cross marking the spot in Texas. An astronaut's remains were found in this location. Also in that state, a person in mourning at the Lyndon Johnson Space Center. That's in Houston.
Also in Florida, a mourner at the Kennedy Space Center collects his thoughts, as well, one of the countless reactions that we have gathered over the past 48 hours right now. And it has not even been that just yet. Coming up right around the 48 hour mark in about an hour's time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
