Introduction
Flight 111 with Swissair was on a flight scheduled from New York City to Geneva Switzerland. Unfortunately this flight ended in disaster as it crashed in Nova Scotia. There were many passengers onboard who lost their lives. Let’s look at some specifics about the crash of flight 111.
Overview of Flight 111
On September 2, 1998, Swissair flight 111 was on a flight that was scheduled. This flight was to carry passengers from New York to Geneva. This flight quickly became a disastrous and deadly way of travel for the 229 persons who lost their lives in that fateful flight.
The crash of this flight happened in the ocean near Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia and there is theory that the disaster began with a fire on board the plane. This was brought to light by the Canadian’s Transportation Safety Board who confirmed the accident was caused by a fire in the cockpit area of the plane. Although no cause of the fire was found, it is suspected it was caused by faulty electrical wiring in the plane.
Findings that led to that conclusion include the fact that that a high level of magnesium was found in the cockpit area that was salvaged from the ocean. It is believed the level of magnesium found was at least 10 times the amount that was anticipated. During the flight, it is said that the pilot had reported smoke in the cockpit area of the plane which led him to attempt an emergency landing at the Halifax International Airport.
It is said that Swissair 111 was carrying more than passengers. Although there isn’t a lot of detailed information available, it is suspected that at least one piece of an exhibit from a Diamond Museum was being shipped on this particular flight. The museum had closed and this piece was said to have been lent to the museum and it was en-route back to its rightful owner.
Recovery Efforts and Additional Information
Recovery efforts were able to retrieve approximately 98% of the aircraft and a good part of the cargo on the plane. Search of the debris by investigators resulted in no sign of the valuable shipment that was believed to be onboard Swissair 111.
It was estimated that there were approximately 1 million pieces of the plane that was sent to a sorting facility in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia. Although they were able to recover a great deal of cargo and pieces of aircraft debris, there were no survivors of this fatal crash.
The passengers onboard were known to be mostly American, French and Swiss. Among the fatalities there were several notable individuals including some who held royal titles in international countries.
After several years had passed, in 1999 Boeing, Delta and Swissair agreed to accept liability for the accident. After that occurred, the families of the victims were offered financial compensation. Although the offer was made, it was rejected. A lawsuit in the amount of $19.8 billion dollars had been filed but was dismissed in 2002 by a U.S. Federal court.
Complete details and additional information about the crash of Swissair flight 111 can be found at www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swissair_Flight_111.
Tips and comments
News information and articles on the crash of Swissair Flight 111 can be found at: www.airliners.net/aviation-articles.
