Flight from Miami crashes in Jamaica

Source: Miami Herald

An American Airlines flight from Miami to Kingston, Jamaica, crashed and broke in two after landing at the Norman Manley International Airport late Tuesday, the Jamaica Observer newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper, passengers on the plane said American Airlines Flight 331 had just arrived from Miami in pouring rain about 10 p.m. when the accident occurred.

``The plane crashed and broke almost in front of me,'' passenger Naomi Palmer told The Observer.

Emergency vehicles sirens could be heard in the background as she spoke via cellphone, The Observer said.







Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1395501.html

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Fox "News" reports that the plane originated in D.C. before stopping in Miami.

Also:

There were no initial reports of casualties in the incident that happened at 10:22 p.m. All people on the plane had exited, Lawrence said.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/12/22/jamaica.plane/

Hat-tip to:

Reports say an American Airlines passenger plane has crashed in Jamaica. BNO News working on details and confirmation.
http://twitter.com/mpoppel/status/6954694599

An American Airlines plane crashed and broke in two after landing at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston shortly after 10:00 pm Tuesday.

Details were not immediately available, however, passengers on the plane told the Observer that AA331 had just arrived from Miami in pouring rain when the accident occurred.

“The plane crashed and broke almost in front of me,” said a shaken Naomi Palmer who was seated at seat number D8.

Palmer said she was feeling some pain and was being supported by a friend on the outside of the arrival area when she spoke with the Observer.

Emergency vehicles sirens could be heard in the background as she spoke via cellphone.


http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/American-Airlines-plane-crashes-at-Jamaica-airport

Thank goodness the vote is delayed for our Senators.

What exactly is your problem?

everyone.

And I don't have a problem other than the unfailing, disheartening, disgusting, perverted effort on DU to disparage this President and any and every thing he's ever stood for or tried to accomplish, in less than his first year.

:fistbump:

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

irrational. Maybe you should consider that; take your own advice.

and then to go off about how you're trying to make the pres. look bad...


good grief, I commend your replies, and the advice to back away from the computer. you were attacked without provocation.


Sad that this happened, also. It's always sad when I see this kind of story, thinking how it probably involved many deaths, but apparently, that appears to not be the case here, thankfully.

My first thought was thanks that our Senators were not involved.

can we spare a little compassion for the people who WERE, who probably had nothing to do with politics but were human beings with inner lives and loved ones?

I hope that is the case.

Hoping for the best. :(

n/t

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/American-Airlines-plane-crashes-at-Jamaica-airport

There are survivors.

n/t

Good.

They overshot the runway, so had lost a lot of speed on descent (and presumably, some hard braking).

Good for survival.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL331

posting that the flight never gated.

:)

Praying for "no deaths." And for all the injured to recover quickly.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/23/flight-331-from-miami-to-_n_401400.html

Kingston Policeman Oneil Hinds at police headquarters said officers at the scene reported the plane ran off the end of the runway.

He said people were taken to hospital but did not know how many or anything about injuries. He says the plane was damaged but did NOT break apart.

I don't know what her flight arrangements were. Hope she was not on that plane. Heck, she was on a remote island in Indonesia when the tsunami hit and it took four days before we could make contact with her. Love her adventurous spirit but this is getting old.

Dozens Injured in Flight 331 Crash in Jamaica
NTSB Sends Team to Investigate; Expert: Hydroplaning Likely a Factor in Nonfatal Crash

All but two of the 40-plus passengers injured in the American Airlines 331 crash in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday have been released from area hospitals as investigators take a closer look at what may have caused the nonfatal "runway excursion."

The Boeing 737-800, filled to capacity with 148 passengers and a crew of six, came down in heavy rain and overshot the runway at Norman Manley International Airport. After its landing gear collapsed and the plane started to break up, it finally slid to a stop less than 10 feet from the Caribbean Sea, The Associated Press reported.

"A passenger told me that the oxygen masks deployed when they heard the nose bang and they could see the fuselage breaking up," said Milton Walker of Radio Jamaica, who rushed to the scene. "And then the chute deployed and persons managed to escape."

<snip>

Jamaica information minister Daryl Vaz told the AP that 44 passengers were taken to area hospitals with injuries ranging from broken bones to back pain. Most of the injuries were cuts and bruises, and none were life threatening, American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith told the AP.

More:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/american-airlines-flight-311-overshoots-runway-jamaica-dozens/story?id=9408329