Kenya Airways Flight 507 crashed at approximately 12:17am on Saturday, May 5, 2007. The flight originating in Ivory Coast stopped in Cameroon to board more passengers before continuing to Nairobi, the expected final destination. Tragically, the Boeing 737-800 carrying 114 individuals, including 105 passengers and 9 crewmembers, did not reach Nairobi. At this time no official reports have been released, however, unofficial reports state that the possibility of finding any survivors is highly unlikely. When asked if there were any survivors, Luc Ndjodo, a local government official in charge of the recovery effort, stated that he knew of no survivors.
The departure time of Kenya Airways Flight 507 from Douala was delayed for approximately one hour on Saturday due to thunderstorms in the area. Though reports of heavy rain in the area at the time of take-off, approximately 12:05am, were confirmed by airport officials, at this point in the investigation weather is not thought to be a likely cause of this accident. Approximately 11 minutes after take-off, the 737-800 entered an automated distress call and then lost contact with the radio tower – contact which would not be regained.
This six-month old aircraft, one of nearly 2,000 flown worldwide, like many aircraft, was equipped with an automated locating device. It is apparent that this device, which should have transmitted a signal for at least 48 hours, did not operate properly, if at all. Captain Paul Mwangi, head of operations for Kenya Airways stated Sunday that, “It is very unlikely, but the device can actually be destroyed. The impact would have to be very, very severe.” Initial reports indicate that the impact may have been quite severe and occurred quickly, a common sign of catastrophic mechanical or structural failure. All operating systems of the aircraft will be under scrutiny; however, preliminary findings indicate that engine failure may be the cause of this accident.
The last and only signal received from Flight 507 after take-off was its initial distress call. The aircraft’s wreckage was discovered more than 24 hours later, only 20 kilometers from its origin airport in Douala, Cameroon’s commercial capital. Local fisherman, living in the swampy mangroves, located the aircraft buried in the swamp. Due to the location of the crash there was no smoke or post-crash fire. It appears that the aircraft nose-dived into the swamp and in effect disintegrated on impact. Ndjodo said that little of the plane was visible and it is assumed that the majority of the plane was destroyed on impact or is underwater.
A team from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been deployed to aid government officials of Cameroon in the investigation of this horrific accident. Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration as well as Boeing and General Electric will join the NTSB team of on-site investigators. The Motley Rice Aviation team is currently investigating this accident and the legal responsibility that Kenya Airways, Boeing and General Electric may have to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
If you or someone you know is interested in seeking legal recourse due to wrongful death as a result of this accident, please contact Motley Rice Aviation attorney and former Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Mary Schiavo at (843) 216-9138 or toll free at 1-800-768-4026.
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Motley Rice attorneys have many years of experience representing victims of airline disasters and have aircraft pilots and mechanics on staff. We also have French, Portuguese and Spanish translators on staff. If you have any questions, comments or would like to explore your legal rights as a result of this air crash, click here. |
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