Bodies on way to Switzerland

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 8

Bodies on way to Switzerland

NZPA-Reuter Teheran The bodies of eight United States servicemen killed in the abortive raid to free the American hostages in Teheran left for Switzerland yesterday, a Swissair spokesman said. Nine coffins, in deference; to Iran’s claim that more| than eight Americans died ini the raid, were accompanied j on the flight to Zurich byi Greek Catholic Archbishop Hilarion Capucci. The Swiss Ambassador (Mr Erik Lang) whose embassy looks after American interests in Iran, said the bodies would be handed over to the Swiss Government and the International Red Cross, who would send them to the United States. In Washington, a Congressional inquiry into the unsuccessful mission on April I

24 to rescue the American hostages will open tomorrow . with a hearing by the Senate Armed Services Committee. i Military officers who led the operation, including the I rescue force commander, ■ Colonel Charlie Beckwith, I will testify behind closed doors, said’ the committee’s /chairman (Senator John . ‘ Stennis). The committee’s I staff has been investigating ' helicopter break-downs and > other aspects of the aborted mission. r Iran’s armed forces have! - announced in Teheran that i they have discovered the : one remaining missing heli- - copter ditched by the cornt mandos in the southern Iral nian desert. i The CHS3 Sea Stallion (was found in a remote loca- - tion in the south of Kerman (Province, about 200 km north (of the Oman Sea.