SITREP #3: LAGOS BELLEVIEW FLIGHT 3210 CRASH; TIME

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001645 SIPDIS TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA; DAKAR PLEASE PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES; ROME PLEASE PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2006 TAGS: ASEC CASC EAIR NI PREL SUBJECT: SITREP #3: LAGOS BELLEVIEW FLIGHT 3210 CRASH; TIME 1:00 AM (LOCAL) REF: A. LAGOS 1643 ¶B. LAGOS 1644 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne per 1.4 d ¶1. Lagos EAC reconvened at 0900 October 23 concerning crash of Bellview flight number 3210. The Nigerian National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has publicly released the flight manifest (faxed to OpCenter). Mission has confirmed that the name of the USDH on board (ref A) was on the manifest. (Note: Nigerian flight manifests are of poor quality and may not be accurate. Airlines frequently record only the surname and first initial of the passenger. Nationality of the traveler is not recorded for domestic flights. End Note.) We are checking the names of all passengers listed against AMCIT registration records in the consular database. ¶2. There are conflicting reports regarding the location of the crash site. Some Nigerian officials identified an area between Ilesha, in southern Kwara State and Kisi in Northern Oyo State. Embassy Abuja has received conflicting reports of the crash site being in Niger state. A pilot involved in the rescue operation reported there may be as many as 50 survivors. This information is not/not confirmed and we have heard from different Nigerian authorities that there were no/no survivors. The Minister of Aviation is en route to Kisi, Oyo state, to coordinate efforts. The minister has told us that he will likely formally request USG assistance after he has visited the crash site. ¶3. Post has dispatched a consular response team to the Ilesha-Kisi corridor. The team includes the Consular section chief and other consular officers, RMO, RSO, FSN Investigator, Legatt, DEA, DAO, Management Officer, and a PAS FSN. ¶4. Aircraft Details: 1981 Boeing 737-2L9 model, 200 series, serial number 22734. BROWNE