Weather conditions were described as "terrible" when Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown attempted to land at Dubrovnik, Croatia earlier today. Brown, who was on a trade mission with as many as fifteen (15) U.S. business leaders, was enroute from Tuzla, Bosnia. As they approached Dubrovnik, the U.S. Air Force T-43 (military version of 737), disappeared from radar screens. The exact passenger manifest is unknown at this time, but a total of 33 souls are believed to have been on-board.
According to Lt. General Howell Estes, Pentagon Joint Chief of Staff's Operations, a search and rescue (SAR) operation was immediately begun, involving both U.S. and local military forces. A crash site has been located and confirmed by SAR; it is located approx. 3km (1.8 miles) North-Northwest of the Dubrovnik airport. Both ground and air assets are reportedly either on the scene or enroute. Gen. Estes said that a Special Forces C-130 aircraft was dispatched with medical and rescue personnel on-board. Military forces in Croatia have reported that at least some rescue personnel may have arrived at the crash site, and that a local civilian doctor is reported to be there as well. Casualty figures have not been confirmed by any official sources. Weather conditions, terrain, and now darkness are reportedly hampering access to the site.
Gen. Estes said that there were no radio transmissions that indicated that the plane was having problems prior to its disappearance. He said that the striken plane was on an "instrument landing system (ILS)" approach to Bubrovnik when the fateful event occurred. The Air force has confirmed that the T-43 aircraft has all of the standard features of the Boeing 737 civilian aircraft and some additional military hardware. Estes said that the he could not speculate, in any way, in regard to the cause of the crash, and refused to comment on other crashes involving 737 aircraft. Gen. Estes said that a complete investigation involving the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the FAA, and other civilian and military investigators will ensue as soon as possible.
Croatian political sources have today, twice, denied that there was any possibility that the crash was caused by "hostile action" on the part of any military or terrorist forces in the region. Military spokespersons say that they have no information in regard to a terrorist threat involving the plane.
ENN is following the events in Croatia and will provide updates as the information becomes available.
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