Signs of chaos in US airliner crash

SAN FRANCISCO: Tapes of 911 emergency calls made moments after an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crashed at San Francisco airport last Saturday reveal panic and confusion, and highlight some possible problems as emergency services raced to the scene.

The crash killed two and injured more than 180. The first police and fire personnel arrived at the crash scene in about two minutes, and local officials said brave rescue efforts and effective triage of the many wounded likely saved lives.

Still, the 11 minutes of 911 tapes released by the California Highway Patrol portray a tense and sometimes chaotic situation as the injured awaited help.

The tapes appear to confirm witness accounts that several people were left unattended near the end of the runway as emergency crews focused on the main crash site.

Three flight attendants and one Chinese student, who died in the accident, were ejected from the back of the plane after the tail broke off, said National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Deborah Hersman. One dead person may have been run over by a truck. – Reuters