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Child survives Yemeni plane crash France 'banned Yemen crash plane'
(about 2 hours later)
A five-year-old child has been found alive, hours after a Yemeni airliner crashed in the Indian Ocean with more than 150 people on board. A Yemeni airline which crashed into the Indian Ocean was banned from France in 2007 because of "irregularities", France's transport minister has said.
Some bodies have also been recovered from the wreckage of the plane. Dominique Bussereau told parliament of ongoing concerns about the safety record of the Yemenia Airbus 310.
The Yemenia Airbus 310 flight IY626 was flying from the Yemeni capital Sanaa, but many passengers on the plane began their journey in France. More than 150 people were on board. A five-year-old child survived and was rescued from the ocean, while some bodies have also been recovered.
The EU voiced concern about Yemenia's safety and proposed a world blacklist of those carriers deemed unsafe. The plane flew from Yemen, but many on board began their journey in France.
The EU already has its own list, and its transport commissioner, Antonio Tajani, said such a list would be a "safety guarantee for all". Most on board had flown on a different Yemenia aircraft from Paris or Marseille before boarding flight IY626 in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
In Paris, Mr Bussereau told legislators that the Yemenia Airbus 310 which crashed was not permitted to fly into France.
See a map of the plane's route See a map of the plane's route
Another EU official told Reuters news agency there were concerns about the airline's "incomplete reporting procedure and incomplete follow-up" following 2007 tests on the aircraft that crashed, but that its record was improving. "A few years ago, we banned this plane from national territory because we believed it presented a certain number of irregularities in its technical equipment," Mr Bussereau told parliament.
However, a spokesman for the airline said poor weather was more likely to have been a factor in the crash than the condition of the plane.
Yemeni Transport Minister Khaled Ibrahim al-Wazeer also told Reuters that the plane had undergone a thorough inspection and conformed to international standards.
RECENT AIR CRASHES 1 June: An Air France Airbus plane travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris disappears in the Atlantic with 228 people on board20 May: An Indonesian army C-130 Hercules transport plane crashes into a village on eastern Java, killing at least 97 people12 February: A plane crashes into a house in Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground Timeline of air disasters In pictures: Yemeni plane crash Timeline of Flight IY626 EU wants world aviation blacklistRECENT AIR CRASHES 1 June: An Air France Airbus plane travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris disappears in the Atlantic with 228 people on board20 May: An Indonesian army C-130 Hercules transport plane crashes into a village on eastern Java, killing at least 97 people12 February: A plane crashes into a house in Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground Timeline of air disasters In pictures: Yemeni plane crash Timeline of Flight IY626 EU wants world aviation blacklist
Yemeni Transport Minister Khaled Ibrahim al-Wazeer told Reuters that the plane had undergone a thorough inspection and conformed to international standards. The crash prompted the European Union to highlight its own concerns about Yemenia's safety record, proposing a world blacklist of those carriers deemed unsafe.
The EU already has its own list, and its transport commissioner, Antonio Tajani, said such a list would be a "safety guarantee for all".
Another EU official told Reuters news agency there were concerns about the airline's "incomplete reporting procedure and incomplete follow-up" following 2007 tests on the aircraft that crashed, but that its record was improving.
Reports say the plane was due in the Comoros capital Moroni at about 0230 (2230GMT on Monday). Most of the passengers had travelled to Sanaa from Paris or Marseille on a different aircraft.Reports say the plane was due in the Comoros capital Moroni at about 0230 (2230GMT on Monday). Most of the passengers had travelled to Sanaa from Paris or Marseille on a different aircraft.
The flight on to Moroni, on the island of Njazidja (Grande Comore), was also thought to have made a stop in Djibouti.The flight on to Moroni, on the island of Njazidja (Grande Comore), was also thought to have made a stop in Djibouti.
There were more than 150 people on board, including three babies and 11 crew.There were more than 150 people on board, including three babies and 11 crew.
An airport source told AFP news agency that 66 of the passengers were French, although many are thought to have dual French-Comoran citizenship.An airport source told AFP news agency that 66 of the passengers were French, although many are thought to have dual French-Comoran citizenship.
Anxious relatives of passengers wait at Paris airportAnxious relatives of passengers wait at Paris airport
This is the second air tragedy this month involving large numbers of French citizens.This is the second air tragedy this month involving large numbers of French citizens.
On 1 June an Air France Airbus 330 travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris plunged into the Atlantic, killing all 228 people on board.On 1 June an Air France Airbus 330 travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris plunged into the Atlantic, killing all 228 people on board.
Relatives' angerRelatives' anger
Gen Bruno de Bourdoncle de Saint-Salvy, French naval commander in the Indian Ocean, said the plane had come down about 15km (eight nautical miles) north of the Comoran coast.Gen Bruno de Bourdoncle de Saint-Salvy, French naval commander in the Indian Ocean, said the plane had come down about 15km (eight nautical miles) north of the Comoran coast.
They put us aboard wrecks, they put us aboard coffins, that's where they put us - it's slaughter Relative at Paris airport Ties that bind: Comoros and FranceThey put us aboard wrecks, they put us aboard coffins, that's where they put us - it's slaughter Relative at Paris airport Ties that bind: Comoros and France
A search is under way, with the French military assisting with the operation.A search is under way, with the French military assisting with the operation.
As well as the rescued child, five bodies and some wreckage of the plane have been recovered.As well as the rescued child, five bodies and some wreckage of the plane have been recovered.
"The weather conditions were rough; strong wind and high seas," Yemenia official Mohammad al-Sumairi told Reuters news agency."The weather conditions were rough; strong wind and high seas," Yemenia official Mohammad al-Sumairi told Reuters news agency.
The three Comoros islands are about 300km (190 miles) north-west of Madagascar in the Mozambique channel.The three Comoros islands are about 300km (190 miles) north-west of Madagascar in the Mozambique channel.
A resident living near the airport told the BBC that about 100 people were trying to get into the building to find out more information, but without much success.A resident living near the airport told the BBC that about 100 people were trying to get into the building to find out more information, but without much success.
Radio stations in Moroni have stopped playing music and are broadcasting passages from the Koran as a mark of respect for those killed, a local reporter, Abubacar Omar, told the BBC.Radio stations in Moroni have stopped playing music and are broadcasting passages from the Koran as a mark of respect for those killed, a local reporter, Abubacar Omar, told the BBC.
The government had appealed for people to stay calm, he said, and key politicians were returning to the Comoros to take charge of the recovery and rescue operation.The government had appealed for people to stay calm, he said, and key politicians were returning to the Comoros to take charge of the recovery and rescue operation.
"Everybody here is talking about only one thing - the crash", another local journalist, Abdul Rahman Bar Amir, said."Everybody here is talking about only one thing - the crash", another local journalist, Abdul Rahman Bar Amir, said.
"There are groups of people huddled everywhere, talking. Nobody seems to know what is going on. All we can do is wait for information."There are groups of people huddled everywhere, talking. Nobody seems to know what is going on. All we can do is wait for information.
"Nobody is eating, nobody is drinking. All we are doing is waiting.""Nobody is eating, nobody is drinking. All we are doing is waiting."
In France, relatives also gathered at Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport and at Marseille Marignane airport to wait for news.In France, relatives also gathered at Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport and at Marseille Marignane airport to wait for news.
Some expressed anger at the state of the airline's planes.Some expressed anger at the state of the airline's planes.
"They put us aboard wrecks, they put us aboard coffins. That's where they put us. It's slaughter. It's slaughter," one relative in Paris told French TV."They put us aboard wrecks, they put us aboard coffins. That's where they put us. It's slaughter. It's slaughter," one relative in Paris told French TV.
The airline Yemenia is 51% owned by the Yemeni government and 49% by the Saudi government.The airline Yemenia is 51% owned by the Yemeni government and 49% by the Saudi government.
In 1996, a hijacked Ethiopian airliner came down in the same area - most of the 175 passengers and crew were killed.In 1996, a hijacked Ethiopian airliner came down in the same area - most of the 175 passengers and crew were killed.
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