Two die as plane crashes into lagoon

March 16th, 2012 - 11:24 am ICT by IANS  

San Juan, March 16 (IANS/EFE) Two people died Thursday when their cargo plane crashed into Torrecillo Lagoon in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Authorities identified the crew as pilot and owner of the plane Uriel Bristol, 67, and Anthony Tavarez, 45, who had been working for two years for the Jet One Express air cargo firm.

The accident occurred shortly after Bristol and Tavarez took off from the Luis Munoz Marin airport about 7 a.m. in the Convair 340, which was manufactured in the 1950s.

The plane’s destination was the island of Santa Cruz and its cargo consisted of food produced by the Holsum company.

The pilot relayed an “Alert 2″ to the control tower signifying an emergency, which could be due to “problems with the brakes, an open door or with the control system”, said airport administrator Arnaldo Deleo.

He said that Bristol told the control tower after communicating the alert that he would try to return to the airport, but before the plane could be turned around and landed it crashed into the lagoon.

He said that Jet One Express makes 15 trips a week with two aircraft from the island’s main airport.

–IANS/EFE
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