ForeverInLoveWithJus

A Cypriot airliner with 121 people on board has crashed on a mountain northeast of Athens. Just before the crash, an airport official said the plane appeared to be flying without a pilot. Rescue officials have said there are no initial signs of survivors among the wreckage.

"The plane has crashed," Athens airport traffic control chief Iannis Pantazaratos said. "The airport lost all contact with the plane which should have landed in the late morning.

"Two air force planes sent up in reconaissance found it flying above the Evvoia peninsula, but they saw the pilots doubled up in the cabin." Greek police said there was no indication the plane had been hijacked.

"It's the worst accident we've ever had," airline safety officer Akrivos Tsolakis said. "There apparently was a lack of oxygen which is usually the case when the cabin is depressurized." The Boeing 737 was flying from Lanarca in Cyprus to Athens when it crashed onto a mountain on the Evvoia peninsula.

It reportedly came down at about 0920GMT near the coastal town of Kalamos, about 40 kilometres north of Athens. The Helios airlines plane was reported to be carrying 115 passengers and six crew.

ElectronicWorm

I heard about that! It's awful Poor people who died. I read on teletext that someone send his cousin a text which said (something like): "The pilot's faces turned all blue and we are crashing down. Im not gonna survive it.. goodbye". So sad :-\

I wonder what the problem was with the oxygen. Usually they have those masks with oxygen if the presurre is too low.

Nanny

I guess you can't expect everyone to be as lucky at the Toronto accident. That's too bad. I sincerely hope that the "initial" signs of survivors are incorrect, and that many, if not all, escaped rather unscathed.

ForeverInLoveWithJus

Well noone survived. I heard the other pilot was missing, I am guessing it was due to the loss of cabin pressure. I heard about that text. Its awful.