Is the question on every news agency workers lips at this moment. :(
An American Airlines Airbus a300 has crashed in the Queens borough of New York City. Port Authority officials say the plane took off from JFK airport. Thick black smoke was billowing over the area, and local media reported several houses on fire.
We"ll bring you more as this story unfolds, for now Neowin would like to express condolences to the people of New York and the borough of Queens who really have suffered since September the 11th.
No news sites have yet covered this, as there is too little information to go on. What we know is that the Airliner was Flight 587 and that the plane was a Airbus a300 Passenger Jet. JFK Airport has been closed and the airspace over Manhatten has also been closed. The Whitehouse calls this a level one emergency which means that ALL emergency services are trying to reach the scene.
Updated: BBC World is reporting that its in fact an Airbus a300 Flight 587 not a Boeing 767, Flight 677 as we earlier reported and I just heard from Mark that local (American) news is saying it looks like there was an explosion where the wing meets the fusalage.
Updated: CNN and BBC reports that there were 246 passengers and 9 crew members on board. NO Survivors have yet been found. The Airbus was taking off at 9.15am from JFK bound for San Domingo in the Dominican Republic when it appeared to run into engine trouble.
Update: Airbus a300 American Airlines Flight 587, This has now been confirmed.
American Airlines website appears to be down for me, so I can"t give you any emergency telephone numbers just yet.
Update: The phone number for American Airlines is 1-800-245-0999, For families to find out more information on the crash - Thanks Ghost
Flight 587, an American Airlines Airbus A300 aircraft en route from New York Kennedy to Santo Domingo, crashed today near Kennedy airport. The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft carried 246 passengers and a crew of nine. American Airlines will not speculate as to possible causes of the accident. At this point, no additional details can be confirmed.
Family members wishing to receive information about passengers may contact American Airlines at the following toll-free number: (800) 245-0999.
American Airlines officials are in direct contact with officials of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, and American is cooperating fully with federal, state and local authorities.
All New York City airports are closed at this time. For information regarding your immediate travel plans, go to www.aa.com/gatesandtimes or www.aa.com