Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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June 4, 2009

Report: Doomed French Jetliner Flew Too Slowly Before Crash
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=2498B75:A6F02AD83191E16068DD08074E7D20F0D937473925D9872C&
 
All 228 people aboard Flight 447 presumed dead 
Picture released on 03 June 2009 by the Brazilian Air Force showing an
oil stain in the Atlantic Ocean where Air France flight 447 supposedly
crashed on 01 June 2009 A French news report says the Air France
jetliner that crashed into the
Atlantic Ocean Monday may have been flying too slowly to navigate the
fierce tropical storms that apparently downed the plane. All 228
people aboard Flight 447 are presumed dead. The plane was flying from
Rio de Janeiro-to-Paris when it crashed off the northeast coast of
Brazil. The Paris newspaper Le Monde said Thursday that Airbus,
the manufacturer of the doomed plane, was preparing to send a warning
to operators of hundreds of its A330 jets with new advice on flying in
storms. Airbus has refused comment on the report, which cites a
source close to the crash inquiry and comes as international search
teams comb the south Atlantic for more crash debris. In Paris,
witnesses say Air France officials have told families of the plane's
French passengers that they must abandon hope that anyone survived the
crash. A spokesman for a survivor support group said Air France
CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon met privately with the families Wednesday.
Many relatives of the 72 French victims of the crash have been staying
at airport hotels in the capital, in hopes of learning more about the
fate of their loved ones. Officials have said they see no signs
of terrorism in the crash, but chief French investigator Paul-Louis
Arslanian says the exact cause of the disaster may never be known.
Arslanian said Wednesday the vitally important flight data recorders are
under the ocean. France
has sent robotic submarines in an effort to reach the jet's final
resting place on the ocean floor, which is thought to be at least 3,000
meters below the surface. The submersibles are not expected in the
crash area until early next week. The bright-orange recorders
are built to withstand the pressure of the ocean depths, and they carry
radio equipment that should send out location signals for up to 30
days. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and
Reuters.


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