SITREP #9: CRASH OF BELLVIEW FLIGHT B3210; OCTOBER

UNCLAS LAGOS 001675 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA DAKAR PLS PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES ROME PLS PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI FOR DS/IP/AF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC EAIR NI ASEC PREL SUBJECT: SITREP #9: CRASH OF BELLVIEW FLIGHT B3210; OCTOBER 26, 6:00 PM (LOCAL) REF: A. LAGOS 1662 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. LAGOS 1674 ¶1. (SBU) Mission's consular response team (CRT) arrived at the crash site at around 1000 (local time). Per reftel, they reported that no excavation had begun, and that local police said excavation would not begin until the NTSB team's arrival. Security at the site had improved with the Nigerian Navy securing the crater, and police securing the surrounding areas. ¶2. (SBU) CRT reported new equipment had been brought to the site including a large excavator and bulldozer. Roads and pathways leading to the site had also been cleared for greater access. The Red Cross began fumigating the site yesterday and transported some body parts to the Ota mortuary for safekeeping. We requested that the police secure documents found at the site after hearing reports that some documents including, approach plans for the Lagos airport, and a set of documents related to the Boeing 737 had been re-moved from the site. ¶3. (SBU) Our Public Affairs Section (PAS) plans to issue a press release on Major Joseph Haydon tomorrow. The local media reported that the Coalition for Militant Action in the Niger Delta (COMA) has claimed responsibility for the air crash in protest to the GON's detention of Niger Delta People's Vigilant Force (NPDVF) leader Dokubo Asari on treason charges. This claim appears spurious (see reftel). ¶4. (SBU) The NTSB team is scheduled to arrive tomorrow evening, October 27. BROWNE