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Home › Politics

AirFrance Crash Update | 06/08/2009 10:20 am

Tragedy Unfolds: 17 Bodies Found in AirFrance Crash Search, 41 Mexican Children Die in Fire

As search continues for clues to horrific Flight 447 crash, parents of 41 children in Sonora, Mexico, are grieving after day-care fire.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
Image: Rene Schwietzke/Flickr

While the parents of 41 Mexican children are burying their little ones, the families of 17 passengers aboard AirFrance Flight 447 have received news that the remains of their loved ones have been found. At the very least, perhaps the new findings can provide some clues as to the demise of the Paris-bound flight and the 228 people aboard. It’s presumed that all aboard are dead.

The Brazilian navy and air force found nine bodies in the Atlantic Ocean in their search for Flight 447, where the Airbus A330-200 went down, while a French vessel found eight. They were found floating about 700 miles off the Brazilian coast, as were some pieces of luggage and pieces of the aircraft’s wing section. Investigators still don’t know the exact location of the crash, and the flight data and cockpit voice recorders are still missing. Brazilian radar-equipped planes had also found "greater parts of the plane’s body" below the surface. It’s believed the pilots were flying at the wrong speed as they headed into stormy weather, possibly because of equipment failure.

While the search for answers continues in this horrific tragedy, our thoughts go out to the friends and families of all those aboard Flight 447.

We also grieve along with the parents of 41 Mexico children who perished in a day-care center fire in Hermosillo, located in the state of Sonora, about 200 miles south of the U.S. border. A dozen more young ones are fighting for their lives; six adults were also injured.

wowOwow staffers first heard of the fire from Lizzie R. on 06/08/2009 at 2:22 am and Marjorie C. on 06/08/2009 at 7:47 am when they spoke about it on wOw reports. 

Many children died from smoke inhalation. Some burn victims have been flown to the U.S. for treatment. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but parents, desperate to try to get their children out of the blaze, even rammed their cars into the building, attempting to free the trapped toddlers.

"Without a doubt this is the worst disaster we’ve had," Sonora governor Eduardo Bours told CNN.

Read more about: AirFrance Flight 447, Bodies Found, Brazil, Day-Care Center, Debris, fire, France, Hermosillo, Memorial, Mexico, News, Plane Crash, Sonora, World

10 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

S.J. Morgan

Both horrible tragedies!

By S.J. Morgan on 06/08/2009 10:26 am
Maggie W

Two reports have said that the plane broke up mid air.  If that is true, then there were likely instant deaths.  For the sake of the families, I hope that call is correct.

Mexico has had nothing but heartbreak on many levels.  The ongoing drug violence, the Swine flu, tourism is way down, this terrible day care tragedy, and the gun battle in Acapulco.   We can only hope and pray our southern neighbor sees far better days ahead.

By Maggie W on 06/08/2009 10:51 am
Lauri Anderson
Well said, Maggie.  My heart goes out to all involved.
By Lauri Anderson on 06/08/2009 11:04 am
S G
I agree Maggie. Also I read an article that Liz posted on the other link. It sounds as if the plane was completely computerized. Give me a plane with a pilots ability to overide stuff and old fashioned instiments:)
By S G on 06/08/2009 3:04 pm
Barbara B
Hearing these stories and feeling a heavy heart for all the victams and their families makes me always take a step back.  My prayers go out to all of them.  Maggie you are so right about our Mexican neighbors I wish the violence there would stop.  It is such a beautiful country
By Barbara B on 06/08/2009 11:04 am
Susan Crawford

Mexico has had so much to deal with lately: the violent drug cartels and their bloody wars have taken thousands of lives; the recent swine flu outbreak that took the lives of young men and women; the murders - as yet unsolved - of hundreds of young women; the apparent inability of the Mexican government to even begin to approach resolving the huge economic crisis that has driven tens of thousands to desperation; and now this dreadful event.

I have spent so many happy times in this wonderful coountry, loving the art and culture and beauty and spirit. My heart breaks at this latest tragedy - nothing is worse than a child’s life cut short. Nothing.

By Susan Crawford on 06/08/2009 12:16 pm
C Hardy

When I heard this story I thought about the daycare where my 3 year old goes and thought of all the exits they have in the building and my heart came out of my chest…each room has a door into the daycare and out into the fenced yard to get our easy.  I could not imagine getting word that her daycare is on fire and not being able to get them out…I feel for those families to have their children taken away at such a young age and under such horrific circumstances.  I pray for them with a very heavy heart.

For the bodies found from the Airbus, those families can start the healing process and my prayers are with them. 

By C Hardy on 06/08/2009 12:18 pm
Mel Berg
It seems that it has been one tragedy after another lately, I pray for those who are lost and for their families left behind.
By Mel Berg on 06/08/2009 1:02 pm
Lizzie R.
This fire is even more of a tragedy since the daycare was located in a warehouse with only one door. There were fire alarms which did not go off because they were not installed properly. Worse is the fact that only 6 staffers were there to care for 142 small children and babies. This "day care" warehouse was located right next door to a tire & vehicle warehouse  leased by the state government. The fire started there and spread to the roof of the ABC daycare, sending flames raining down on the children. The police just stood there not knowing what to do, and became angry at the people trying to enter. One policeman said that Mexico is unprepared to deal with disasters. Mexico is so poor that both parents are forced to work, and there are 1,500 low-cost government  day care centers caring for 200,000 children.  Sunday afternoon 9,000 people crowded into the city’s basketball arena for a special mass. This is such a terrible tragedy that never should have happened…all those dead children,all those damaged children, all those grieving parents. No wonder they all want to come here to seek a better life. Last night there was a van carrying 27 people…imagine 27 people stacked like cordwood in the back with the seats removed. It rolled over and 8 people were killed near Sonoita, AZ. This happens all the time. or else they die of the heat trying to cross the desert. It’s all so sad, yet we cannot handle any more in our country.
By Lizzie R. on 06/08/2009 10:47 pm
laureen f
Mexico doesn’t require the safety standards that the US demands in our building codes. Maybe this horror will change that…Prayers to the families that are suffering and the children that survived. And I am glad that we have found the crash site of the plane that went down so that those families can have closure.
By laureen f on 06/09/2009 6:49 am