Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Fighter Jet Crashes at Ukrainian Air Show

Aired July 27, 2002 - 09:12   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to get some more details now on the crash of that military plane at an air show in Ukraine. Several people have reportedly been killed on the ground there, and CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty is on the phone with us to give us the latest.

Jill, what happened?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Catherine, as you can imagine, it's a pretty confusing scene. But we've been on the phone just a few minutes ago with the Ukrainian emergency ministry, and this is what they say.

There was an air show taking place in the -- near the city of Lviv. That's in the western part of Ukraine, near the Polish border. It was in honor of the Ukrainian air force, a local unit.

And two pilots, we believe, were in Sukhoi 27 fighter plane. They were performing an intricate air maneuver very close to the ground. And they either lost control or they may have clipped a tree, it's still unclear. But in any case, that plane went spinning down. The pilots were able to catapult, and they got out, they have survived.

But that plane, as it spun wildly, hit the spectators. And the latest figures we have, Catherine, 65 have gone to the hospital, actually several hospitals. They're still being brought in. There could be more on the way. And from 20 to 40 people killed. They still do not know the total figure, but it could be up to 40 people killed, Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Oh, this is a horrific incident there. Now, this was the -- supposed to be a celebratory thing, it was the 60th anniversary. Could you tell us more about that, and who was there, who was attending the show?

DOUGHERTY: Well, we understand -- you know, of course, people often go to these shows. They're very popular. And you could imagine that there would be relatives as well...

CALLAWAY: Right.

DOUGHERTY: ... of some people who were in the military. But a lot of them on the ground. And unfortunately, this tragedy happened. CALLAWAY: Do we know if any other type of incident like this has happened at these air shows as they perform there?

DOUGHERTY: I do not, Catherine, personally know of any incident. But there have been numerous accidents recently in the air space. But specifically with this, we don't know.

These apparently were very well-qualified test pilots. One of them is described as a first class test pilot, a colonel, and the other one too also very experienced. So these things happen. It was a very delicate maneuver in the air, and very close to the ground.

CALLAWAY: All right, Jill, thank you. That's Jill Dougherty, joining us on the phone from Moscow with the latest.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com