| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Wreckage of Afghan plane found, Taliban deny responsibility |
| 2005-02-05 |
| NATO helicopters have found the wreckage of an Afghan airliner that crashed into a mountain top during a snow storm near Kabul two days ago with 104 people on board. Authorities said on Saturday they were still searching for any survivors, after saying earlier all 96 passengers and eight crew had been killed, and were investigating the cause of the crash of the Boeing 737. Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah said in a statement his guerrillas had not shot down the plane and that the group was very saddened by the crash. The airliner had been flying to Kabul from the western city of Herat, a busy route for Afghan businessmen and foreign aid workers. It disappeared off radar screens three minutes after turning away from the capital's airport due to poor visibility. Nine Turks, four Americans, an Italian naval captain, two other Italians and an Iranian were reported to have been among those on board. Six of the crew were foreigners, four of them Russian, the Russian Interfax news agency said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |