This program is 27 minutes long
#251162
(Studio) Death toll still uncertain in wake of Pan American-KLM Royal Dutch jet liners' crash on Tenerife in Canary Island off Moroccan coast.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(Tenerife, Canary Island) Investigation by experts from airlines, from US and Netherlands govts. and Spanish authorities begins to find cause for crash. Passengers who survived can add little to help. Team of US pathologists on way to Tenerife to identify bodies, 95% of which are charred beyond recognition.
REPORTER: Bill McLaughlin
(Studio) Both jets diverted to Tenerife because of explosion earlier at Las Palmas airport. (Film shown.) Though it's not known how and why accident happened, American sources reveal 1 version of events prior to crash; details noted. Pan American's pilot, copilot and engineer are among survivors and their testimony, with flight recorder, expected to help clear up mystery. Most of Pan American passengers from California and were to have cruised Mediterranean.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(Los Angeles, California) Friends and relatives in California await information with regard to survivors and deaths. 1 of 1st calls was to Charles Amador from son John, a survivor. [AMADOR - recites son's description of crash.] Another survivor is Joan Holt who called mother in San Diego. [Bernice BATTEN - quotes conversation with daughter.] Hardest hit is retirement community, Leisure World, which had 37 on Pan American plane; 27 reported dead. 2 of dead are Helen peters and Helen Halderson. [Resident Bill DOHERTY - community grief-stricken by deaths.] Most families have now been notified and names of dead being released.
REPORTER: Richard Wagner
(Studio) President Carter has ordered United States Air Force plane from West Germany to Canary Island to evacuate 12 of most seriously injured.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251164
(Studio) Could such accident as took place on Tenerife happen here?
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(NYC) Report on precautions taken against such accident and chances of it happening at Kennedy International Airport. [Tower chief Walter MITCHELL - says with people working traffic and flying planes there can be no guarantee of freedom from error, but all has been done that can be to keep it safe.] Use of ground radar, called airport surveillance detection equipment (ASDE), is expensive and operators must be experienced, so isn't in general use in world.
REPORTER: Don Kladstrup
(Studio) Fire is what did damage to Pan American jet. Federal Aviation Administration regards fire as greatest hazard for survivors of impact.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(Pamona, New Jersey) (Federal Aviation Administration tests shown.) problems of fire consuming plane after initial impact noted. [Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Lawrence LANGWEIL - heat of fire prevents rescue efforts and people must get out in 1-2 mins.] Tests on materials to withstand heat and fire conts. at National Aviation Experimental Center in New Jersey. Smaller jets have been tested, but tests just beginning on larger ones. [LANGWEIL - there's not as much test information on big jets as they'd like. now.] Officials say in accident such as Tenerife crash, it's almost impossible to save passengers.
REPORTER: Jim Kilpatrick
(Studio) Lloyd's of London rings bell each time 1 of its insured ships goes down, but not for planes.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(London, England) Report on expected insurance claims from crash. [Lloyd's spokesperson John HEWITT - notes possible lengths of time to get to settlements.] Ins. rates for large passenger planes may now be raised.
REPORTER: Susan Peterson
#251166
(Studio) Secretary of State Vance meets with Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow today re: SALT 11.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(Moscow, USSR ) (USSR television newsfilm shown.) Vance's expectations of heated discussions with regard to human rights are met; later Vance says he believes air cleared on issue. Details of disarmament discussions noted, include United States and USSR attitudes to Vladivostok agreement by Ford and Brezhnev and United States cruise missiles. Reception for Vance by foreign minister Andrei Gromyko noted. Outcome of talks will set tone for US-USSR relations in Carter administration
REPORTER: Bernard Kalb
#251167
(Studio) After Communist-socialist gains in recent elections, there's shake-up of French government Premier Raymond Barre resigns, but to be reappointed by President Valery Giscard d'Estaing with almost totally new government
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251168
(Studio) New postage stamp, commemorating Charles Lindbergh's trans-Atlantic flight to Paris, France, in 1927, is unveiled at Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum. 50 years ago today government permission for flight received
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251170
(Studio) Supreme Court agrees to hear case with regard to attempt of Richard Nixon to block public broadcast and distribution of White House tapes used in Watergate coverup trials of top aides.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251171
(Studio) Defense Secretary Harold Brown clears way for upgrading many less-than-honorable discharges from Vietnam war era.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(DC) Details of program noted. Among those eligible is President's son, Jack Carter, given general discharge in 1970 for smoking marijuana.
REPORTER: Ike Pappas
#251172
(Studio) New reports from House assassination committee with regard to Kennedy and King murders noted. May be evidence Lee Harvey Oswald involved with CIA anti-Castro groups. Reports come just prior to Rules Committee meeting with regard to assassination committee 's fate.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251173
(Studio) Team of reporters investigating organized crime in Arizona, charges crime figs. and Teamsters leaders try to get into dental business; details noted. REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251174
(Studio) 2 Filipino nurses on trial in Detroit for murdering patients.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(Detroit, Michigan) Court proceedings and statements of prosecutor Richard Yanko re: government evidence about crimes and against Filipina Narciso and Leonora Perez. Deaths took place at Veterans Administration Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan; problem for state will be proving involvement of 2 nurses, which is cloudy issue, based on unsubstantiated death-bed confession of former supervisor, Betty Jakim. Yanko doesn't talk of motive for crimes. [YANKO - says it isn't necessary for government to establish motive.] Defense has opening statements Tuesday
REPORTER: Renee Poussaint
#251175
(Studio) Detroit court hears lawsuit brought by women and daughters who claim health problems due to mothers taking DES while pregnant; details noted.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251176
(Studio) Violent spring storms in south Illinois and other places noted. Tornado near Mascoutah, 11, cited. (Film shown.)
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251177
(Studio) Comments of Howard Baker and Robert Byrd with regard to Senator action on Carter tax rebate plan and economy stimulus program noted.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251178
(Studio) Balance of trade deficit for February noted.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
#251181
(Studio) At least 2 people missed Mediterranean tour package which ended in crash in Canary Island for Pan American-jet.
REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
(Los Angeles, Georgia) Details noted with regard to Royal Cruise Line tour, with cruise aboard "Golden Odyssey" in Mediterranean and flight back to United States from Athens, Greece. Ben and Sylvia Weinberg had decided to go, and then changed minds. [Ben WEINBERG - cites circumstances causing them to cancel.] [Sylvia WEINBERG - always feels something will happen after cancellation and doesn't like to make trips after canceling.]
REPORTER: Terry Drinkwater
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