SITREP #5: CRASH OF BELLVIEW FLIGHT B3210; OCTOBER

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001648

SIPDIS

TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA
DAKAR PLS PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES
ROME PLS PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2006
TAGS: CASC EAIR NI ASEC PREL
SUBJECT: SITREP #5: CRASH OF BELLVIEW FLIGHT B3210; OCTOBER
24, 10:30 AM (LOCAL)

REF: LAGOS 1646 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne per 1.4 b


1. (SBU/NF) Mission's consular response team (CRT) returned
to Lagos at approximately 19:30 yesterday, October 23. Per
reftel, they reported no likely survivors and an unstable
security environment around the crash scene. The crash site
is not a very large area. The CRT did not see large sections
of the aircraft still intact and reported the air was full
with the smell of fuel. A CRT has been deployed to the crash
site again today.


2. (C) Post continues to try to ascertain whether there were
AMCITs on board in addition to the one known AMCIT passenger.
The CRT has ruled out several individuals by cross-checking
AMCIT registration records against identifying information
(full first and last names) found at the crash site. The
consular section will call the few other individuals
registered on our local database whose names are similar to
those on the imprecise manifest list for flight B2310.


3. (SBU) Our Public Affairs Section continues to monitor the
Nigerian media concerning this event.


4. (SBU/NF) The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has
forwarded a general request for USG forensic, investigative,
and other technical assistance today (faxed to opcenter).
There are conflicting reports as to whether the flight data
recorders have been recovered. Below is the text of the
letter:

The Ambassador
Embassy of the United States of America
Aso Drive
Abuja

24th October, 2005

Your Excellency, Sir

We wish to refer to the telephone conversation between the
Honorable Minister of Aviation and the Consul General of the
Embassy of the United States of America in Lagos.

Following this discussion, we wish to formally request for
technical assistance in our determined effort to move the
aviation industry forward especially in the light of the
recent accident involving a Boeing 737 aircraft in our
country.

Please accept Sir, the assurance of our highest regards.


Signed Engineer F.C. Onyeyiri
Director - General

End Text


5. (U) This cable has been cleared by Embassy Abuja.

BROWNE