Communiqués

Statement by the Chairman of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada concerning the investigation into the accident south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, involving a Swissair McDonnell Douglas MD-11 on the night of 02 September 1998

At approximately 1030 Atlantic daylight time on the night of 02 September 1998, Swissair Flight No. 111, en route from New York to Geneva, declared an emergency and disappeared from air traffic control radar off the east coast of Nova Scotia. Wreckage has been found approximately 8 km from Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. It is understood that 229 persons were on board the McDonnell Douglas MD11. There are no reported signs of survivors. Search and Rescue is looking for survivors and recovering the victims as a top priority.

"First, I would like to express my most sincere sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victims. To those who lost loved ones in this terrible accident, the Board is promising that there will be a thorough and complete investigation. All of the resources necessary will be made available to the investigation team in the search to determine what happened to Swissair Flight 111 and, more importantly, why this tragedy occurred."

The TSB has dispatched a multi-disciplinary team of investigators to conduct the investigation into this accident. In accordance with Annex 13 to the Chicago Convention, the TSB's investigation team may be assisted by representatives of the state of manufacture of the aircraft and the engines (the United States) and the state of registration of the aircraft (Switzerland).

As is normal in all such investigations of major transportation occurrences, a comprehensive systematic investigation will be made of any aspect that may have compromised the safety of Flight 111. This will include an examination of the airworthiness and technical serviceability of all the aircraft's structures and operating systems, the appropriateness of all aspects of flight and ground crew performance, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, company safety management and regulatory oversight.

It is too early in the investigation to say how much of the wreckage can be located, and how much will be recovered. Priority will be given to recovering the aircraft's on-board flight recorders.

Little factual information concerning the accident is known at this early stage of the investigation. The TSB will provide daily press briefings to summarize the day's activities.

Initial investigative efforts will focus on the recovery of all related voice and flight data recorders as well as any other perishable evidence necessary to guide the conduct of the investigation. Investigators are working with the emergency response organizations to co-ordinate recovery efforts.

The TSB is an independent agency with the mandate to investigate transportation occurrences with a view to making findings as to causes and contributing factors. In particular, the TSB seeks to identify those systemic safety deficiencies in the transportation system which may put persons, property or the environment at risk. It is not the object of the Board to determine criminal or civil liability.

In the event that TSB's investigators find any evidence of criminal wrong-doing, it will be immediately passed to the RCMP to facilitate any necessary police investigation.

All queries regarding the on-board passengers should be directed to Swissair's representatives at 1-800-801-0088.