US embassy cable - 05LAGOS1675

UNCLAS LAGOS 001675 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA 
DAKAR PLS PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES 
ROME PLS PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI 
FOR DS/IP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC, EAIR, NI, ASEC, PREL 
SUBJECT: SITREP #9: CRASH OF BELLVIEW FLIGHT B3210; OCTOBER 
26, 6:00 PM (LOCAL) 
 
REF: A. LAGOS 1662 AND PREVIOUS 
 
     B. LAGOS 1674 
 
1. (SBU) Mission's consular response team (CRT) arrived at 
the crash site at around 1000 (local time).  Per reftel, they 
reported that no excavation had begun, and that local police 
said excavation would not begin until the NTSB team's 
arrival.  Security at the site had improved with the Nigerian 
Navy securing the crater, and police securing the surrounding 
areas. 
 
2. (SBU) CRT reported new equipment had been brought to the 
site including a large excavator and bulldozer.  Roads and 
pathways leading to the site had also been cleared for 
greater access.  The Red Cross began fumigating the site 
yesterday and transported some body parts to the Ota mortuary 
for safekeeping.  We requested that the police secure 
documents found at the site after hearing reports that some 
documents including, approach plans for the Lagos airport, 
and a set of documents related to the Boeing 737 had been 
re-moved from the site. 
 
3. (SBU) Our Public Affairs Section (PAS) plans to issue a 
press release on Major Joseph Haydon tomorrow.  The local 
media reported that the Coalition for Militant Action in the 
Niger Delta (COMA) has claimed responsibility for the air 
crash in protest to the GON's detention of Niger Delta 
People's Vigilant Force (NPDVF) leader Dokubo Asari on 
treason charges.  This claim appears spurious (see reftel). 
 
4. (SBU) The NTSB team is scheduled to arrive tomorrow 
evening, October 27. 
BROWNE