L’ATR 42-300 marche YV-1449 della compagnia aerea venezuelana Santa Barbara, partito ieri alle 17,45 locali dall’aeroporto di Merida, nella parte occidentale del Venezuela, e diretto all’aeroporto Maiquetia di Caracas non è arrivato a destinazione. A bordo del Volo 518 erano 43 passeggeri e tre membri dell’equipaggio. Secondo quanto segnalato dall’emittente Unionradio, il velivolo sarebbe stato avvistato in una zona montagnosa nota come come il Coyado del Condor nel Paramo de Piedra Blanca, ad oltre 4.000 metri. Le squadre di ricerca si sarebbero già dirette nell’area. L’aereo portava il serial 028 ed aveva compiuto il suo primo volo il 22 ottobre 1986 prestando servizio con American Eagle, Aerogaviota e Total Linhas Aereas, prima di essere consegnato al vettore venezuelano il 19 ottobre 2005.
Dedalonews
English
The ATR 42-300 took off from Merida in the west of the country and was destined for the capital, Caracas.
The twin-engine aircraft took off late on Thursday afternoon before losing contact with air traffic controllers.
Rescue teams headed to an area in the Venezuelan Andes with peaks at 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) to search for wreckage and any survivors.
The search had been temporarily called off at nightfall due to fog.
National civil defence chief Antonio Rivero said there was information of a possible finding, but that the plane was still officially listed as missing.
Villagers in the area reported hearing a loud noise thought to have been the crash, officials said.
Merida is located in a mountainous region, 680 km (422 miles) south-west of Caracas.
State psychiatrists have been assigned to help relatives waiting at the Simon Bolivar airport, near Caracas.
The plane was a turboprop aircraft produced by French-Italian company ATR and operated by the local Santa Barbara airline.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7258117.stm
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