|
All 111 passengers and
seven crew died in the air disaster |
1963: Canadian air disaster kills
118 |
Artificially 1969:
The A Canadian jet
has crashed within minutes of take-off, killing all 118 people on board.
The Trans-Canada Airlines DC8, bound for Toronto, crashed into a field,
20 miles from Montreal's international airport at 0632 local time (2300
GMT).
A spokesman for the airline said there was no immediate explanation why
the aircraft crashed and burst into flames four minutes after take-off.
He confirmed that all 111 passengers and seven crew died in the crash.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing an explosion as the plane hit the ground.
Manager of the Hillsdale Golf Club, Monty Adams, said: "It sounded like
an explosion or an earthquake.
"The night watchman at the course heard it too. But there was no
indication of where it came from."
Parts of the wreckage were reported to be strewn across a wide area
less than half a mile away (1km) from a main highway.
The aircraft was believed to be still burning two hours after the
crash.
Rescue workers struggled to reach the jet because mud between the
highway and the crash was at least a foot (0.3m) deep.
Quebec provincial police initially called for all ambulances to attend
the scene but they were later cancelled after it was discovered that there
were no survivors.
Police dogs were also sent to the scene to search for survivors but
were then withdrawn when it became clear that there were none.
Canadian Transport Minister George McIlraith said investigators were on
their way to the scene of the crash.
The accident comes just days after an identical TCA aircraft ran off
the runway at London Airport.
An airline official said there was no connection between the two
accidents.