Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Investigators Look for Cause of Plane Crash in Minnesota
Aired October 27, 2002 - 08:34 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.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: In Eveleth, Minnesota, as federal investigators continue to search for clues in the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone, relatives of some of the crash victims plan to hold a private memorial. CNN's Ed Lavandera joins us now from Minneapolis with more on the investigation. Good morning, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Arthel. Well, here investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board will be heading out shortly, returning to the crash site here in Eveleth, the site where Senator Wellstone and his wife and daughter and three campaign staff members and two pilots were killed on Friday in that plane crash. The investigators will be returning to the scene here.
It's a very difficult area to reach, about two miles away from the airport that is here in Eveleth, and investigators have spent a lot of time just trying to figure out the best ways of reaching this crash site. They have done so. They still have not been able to determine exactly what caused this plane crash.
They're looking at several factors. One of the factors they were looking at is that this plane was supposed to be heading from east to west toward the runway and it wasn't pointed in that direction. So that's one of the things that they're looking at, at this point, as well. So investigators returning to the crash site.
Also, Arthel, as you mentioned, a half dozen family members will be returning to the -- or going to the crash site this morning to have a private memorial service. That is expected to happen around 11:30 this morning. On Saturday, several -- the bodies of the victims were pulled out of the wreckage, and as we mentioned this is a very difficult area to reach to, a very murky area, swampy, and very difficult to navigate through.
So we understand, also, the memorial services have been set up for the Wellstone family, and that will be held Tuesday night at 6:30 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. A large turnout is expected. They're having that in a big auditorium. The public is invited to attend.
But here the investigation continues as investigators prepare to head out this morning to that crash site to try to figure out exactly what caused this plane to go down on Friday -- Arthel.
NEVILLE: Indeed. Ed Lavandera, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
LAVANDERA: Sure.
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 October 27, 2002 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: In Eveleth, Minnesota, as federal investigators continue to search for clues in the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone, relatives of some of the crash victims plan to hold a private memorial. CNN's Ed Lavandera joins us now from Minneapolis with more on the investigation. Good morning, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Arthel. Well, here investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board will be heading out shortly, returning to the crash site here in Eveleth, the site where Senator Wellstone and his wife and daughter and three campaign staff members and two pilots were killed on Friday in that plane crash. The investigators will be returning to the scene here.
It's a very difficult area to reach, about two miles away from the airport that is here in Eveleth, and investigators have spent a lot of time just trying to figure out the best ways of reaching this crash site. They have done so. They still have not been able to determine exactly what caused this plane crash.
They're looking at several factors. One of the factors they were looking at is that this plane was supposed to be heading from east to west toward the runway and it wasn't pointed in that direction. So that's one of the things that they're looking at, at this point, as well. So investigators returning to the crash site.
Also, Arthel, as you mentioned, a half dozen family members will be returning to the -- or going to the crash site this morning to have a private memorial service. That is expected to happen around 11:30 this morning. On Saturday, several -- the bodies of the victims were pulled out of the wreckage, and as we mentioned this is a very difficult area to reach to, a very murky area, swampy, and very difficult to navigate through.
So we understand, also, the memorial services have been set up for the Wellstone family, and that will be held Tuesday night at 6:30 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. A large turnout is expected. They're having that in a big auditorium. The public is invited to attend.
But here the investigation continues as investigators prepare to head out this morning to that crash site to try to figure out exactly what caused this plane to go down on Friday -- Arthel.
NEVILLE: Indeed. Ed Lavandera, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
LAVANDERA: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
