Global General
61 Dutch among the dead in Libya plane crash
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-12 21:44
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 A rescue worker examines the debris of Afriqiyah Airways flight 8U771 at Tripoli airport May 12, 2010. [Agencies] |
AMSTERDAM - Sixty-one of those killed Wednesday in a plane crash in Libya were from the Netherlands -- more than half of those on board -- and a Dutch boy is the only known survivor, Dutch officials said.
Libyan authorities said 96 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage at the airport outside the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
The Royal Dutch Tourism Board ANWB released the figure of 61 on its website.
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Foreign Ministry spokesman Ad Meijer said the boy was undergoing surgery in Tripoli for his injuries, including broken bones. He said the identity of the child was still being verified.
The Foreign Ministry in The Hague was in touch with the boy's doctor, and Meijer said a Dutch Embassy official in Tripoli expected to speak to the boy later Wednesday.
The Dutch government was setting up a crisis team to deal with aspects of the crash, presumably including helping the many families of the victims.
"This is a large group of Dutch nationals after all, so it's a deeply sad message we have this day," Balkenende said, registering his "shock" at the news.
The Belgian Foreign Ministry said no Belgians were on board the flight, although South African officials said 32 passengers on the flight were headed to Brussels.
