Airbus in training flight crashes in Mediterranean


By SEPTIME MEUNIER, Associated Press Writer Septime Meunier, Associated Press Writer


PARIS – An Airbus A320 passenger plane crashed off the coast of southern France during a training flight Thursday, killing at least one of seven people on board, French authorities said.

The plane plunged into the Mediterranean sea 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) east of the French city of Perpignan, near the border with Spain, at around 4:30 p.m. local time (1530 GMT), according to a communications officer at the headquarters of the government representative in the region.

One body has been recovered at sea, the official said on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy.

There were seven people on the flight which left from Perpignan airport, said First Officer Sandrine Parro of the Regional Operational Center for Monitoring and Rescue (CROSS) for the Mediterranean.

Five launches, two helicopters and a patrol airplane have been dispatched to the area of the crash, Parro told The Associated Press.

"The fuselage has been located. The rescue operations will determine if there are any survivors," she added.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200..._france_airbus_crash