DATE=  11/18/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222881

TITLE=T-W-A 800 INVESTIGATION (L)

BYLINE=MAX RUSTON

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:



INTRO:  THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, IN THE UNITED

STATES, SAYS IT HAS RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY A BOMB OR MISSILE

BROUGHT DOWN T-W-A FLIGHT 800 LAST YEAR, IN AN EXPLOSION THAT

KILLED ALL 230 PEOPLE ON BOARD.  V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON REPORTS FROM

NEW YORK.



TEXT:   F-B-I ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JAMES KALLSTROM SAYS THE PROBE

INTO THE JULY 17TH, 1996, CRASH NEAR NEW YORK OF T-W-A FLIGHT 800

WAS ONE OF THE MOST MASSIVE INVESTIGATIONS IN HISTORY.



                      /// KALLSTROM ACT ///



         WE MUST NOW REPORT THAT N/O EVIDENCE HAS BEEN FOUND

         WHICH WOULD INDICATE THAT A CRIMINAL ACT WAS THE CAUSE

         OF T-W-A FLIGHT 800.  WE DO KNOW ONE THING, HOWEVER, THE

         LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM HAS DONE EVERYTHING HUMANLY

         POSSIBLE, HAS PURSUED EVERY LEAD, HAS LOOKED AT EVERY

         THEORY AND HAS LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED.



                         /// END ACT ///



CLOSE TO 50 MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR ON THE 16 MONTH

INVESTIGATION.  MUCH OF IT FOCUSSED ON DETERMINING THE BASIS OF

EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNTS, RECOVERING DEBRIS AND RECONSTRUCTING THE

SHATTERED BOEING SEVEN-47 AIRPLANE.



THE BODIES OF ALL 230 PEOPLE ON BOARD THE AIRLINER WERE

EVENTUALLY RECOVERED AND 96 PERCENT OF THE PLANE WAS

RECONSTRUCTED.



THE U-S NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WILL CONTINUE ITS

INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANY, MECHANICAL PROBLEMS MAY

HAVE CAUSED THE DISASTER.  THE BOARD'S DIRECTOR, JAMES HALL,

SPOKE ABOUT HIS DETERMINATION TO FIND THE CAUSE.



                        /// HALL ACT ///



         LET ME ASSURE YOU, AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT THE

         NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WILL CONTINUE TO

         SPARE NO EFFORT TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE T-W-A

         EXPLOSION.  WE OWE IT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WE SERVE

         AND WE OWE IT TO THE CAUSE THAT WE WORK FOR:

         TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.



                         /// END ACT ///



SOME RELATIVES OF VICTIMS SAY THEY WILL BE WATCHING THE PROGRESS

OF THAT INVESTIGATION CLOSELY.  THEY SAY IF THE AIRCRAFT

MANUFACTURER, BOEING, OR THE AIRLINE, T-W-A, ARE FOUND TO BE AT

FAULT, THEY WILL SEEK DAMAGES FROM THOSE COMPANIES AND THEIR

EXECUTIVES.



THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WILL HOLD A PUBLIC

HEARING IN DECEMBER TO DISCUSS ITS FINDINGS.  (SIGNED)



NEB/NY/MPR/LSF/PT



18-Nov-97 5:12 PM EST (2212 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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