A small plane with 14 people abroad disappeared off the
Venezuelan coast Friday and rescue teams have not found the
aircraft yet.
According to Venezuelan emergency management director Gen.
Antonio Rivero, the Czech-made LET L-410 plane, belonged to a small
Venezuelan airline company Transaven.
The plane took off from Simon Bolivar International Airport near
the capital Caracas and disappeared at the sea about 39 km from its
destination the Los Roques islands, a popular tourist attraction
among Europeans and Americans.
A total of 14 people were on board. The Italian foreign ministry
confirmed that eight of the people were Italians. The Venezuelan
emergency management agency said there were five Venezuelans on
board, including the pilot and co-pilot, as well as a Swiss man,
who is initially said to be an American.
Luis Diaz, operation director for the agency, said that engine
problems were reported before the plane lost contact with the
control center, but there were no evidence that it had crashed.
Gen. Rivero said that six helicopters have been searching
through the day, while a navy frigate and two patrol boats
continued the work into the night.
(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2008)
