FATAL AIR CRASH
Man Runs Amuck With Hand Grenade (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CARACAS (Venezuela), April 29. A Russian ran amuck aboard a Venezuelan airliner yesterday and exploded a hand grenade, causing the plane to crash. Ten of the 13 persons aboard died, according to British United Press, but Reuter put the death roll at 13 with two survivors.
According to the British United Press, the survivors said a male passenger suddenly rose from his seat while the plane was on its flights between Caracas and Puerto Ayacucho. The man shouted: “I’m a space explorer. I waht to experience great emotion.” He dashed towards the cockpit and passengers jumped up to restrain him. The co-pilot—who survived the crash—emerged from the cockpit and attempted to pin the man’s arms against the cabin wall. But he broke free, pulled a hand grenade from his pocket, withdrew the pin and threw it against the cabin wall. The explosion caused the plane to crash near Calabozo, 100 miles south-east of Caracas, the news agency said. The Venezuelan Ministry of
Communications identified the Russian as Jacheslav Lavinski. The plane, a twin-engined Dakota, was owned by Avion Linea Aeropostal Venezolana. One of the victims, Jose Sifontes, had arrived too late to buy a ticket, but had been allowed to board the plane, according to officials at Maiquetia airport, Caracas. They said the plane was held up for several minutes so Sifontes could board.
The Communications Ministry said an investigation team went to the scene to gather evidence and interview survivors. The Ministry said the team found grenade fragments and powder burns, supporting the survivors’ stories.
Among the scattered debris of the wreckage was a novel entitled “La Muerte en al Aire”— death in the air.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29192, 30 April 1960, Page 13
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288FATAL AIR CRASH Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29192, 30 April 1960, Page 13
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