The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-08-21

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Black Box Reveals Help Pleas and Breathing No Discussion Recorded

By Vagelis Theodorou

Sources: NET, Ethnos, Eleftherotypia

It seems that no discussion has been recorded in the second black box of the Helios Boeing, which crashed killing all 121 on board. According to sources, in the discussion recorder in the pilots cabin there were only three calls for help (the mayday signal), heavy breathing and groans, reportedly of flight attendant Andreas Prodromou who tried to land the aircraft. Moreover, warning sounds are heard from the aircrafts instruments. At the same time, in the Athens morgue, the autopsies have been completed, while the procedure for giving the victims personal belongings to their families is in the last stage. In the meantime, according to a report by Chief Engineer of Helios, which is published in the Sunday edition of Ethnos, the aircraft arrived in the early morning hours of August 14 to Larnaca from Great Britain with serious damage to its door. Also, the testimony of the leader of the F-16 formation in Eleftherotypia newspaper is shocking.

Coroner's Examination Continues

The team of coroners is working day and night in Goudi, in order to identify the victims of the air tragedy. The team of 7 specialist dentists is greatly contributing in the identification process using dental records, since in many cases the condition of the bodies does not allow the sampling of biological material.

Ten more victims were identified through DNA, while on Saturday the first identification through dental records took place on a 29-year-old Greek citizen.

Furthermore, within the week, possibly Tuesday or Wednesday, the results of the toxicology exams are expected, and will indicate if the passengers inhaled another gas, since the ones for carbon monoxide were negative.

In closing, according to the coroners, the victims have visible contusions when the airplane crashed. However, the bodies that contusions are not observed, tissue exams will be conducted in order to conclude if the victims were also alive during the fall.

Revealing Articles

At the same time, the report of Helios Chief Engineer in the Sunday edition of Ethnos is shocking. According to the article in its previous flight the Boeing returned to Cyprus with damage on its back door.

In particular, at 04:15 in the morning of August 14, when the aircraft arrived in Cyprus from Luton Airport, UK, the cabin crew complained of a strong noise coming from the back door.

This damage is connected to the decompression problem, since the noise indicates that the door does not seal well and thus air can enter. The aircraft was checked, but the three engineers did not find a problem, and five hours later it departed for its fateful flight.

The report of the F-16 pilot, who flew next to the Helios aircraft, is just as shocking and it is published in an article in Eleftherotypia newspaper.

According to the article, the 36-year-old pilot initially uses the standard air terminology (ie "the aircraft is at 10,000 feet"). As minutes go by, the tone of his voice becomes agitated, subsequently breaks down and shouts, "We have a fall of a civil aircraft."

Moreover, he states that the oxygen masks in the passengers cabin have dropped and a man is moving in the area. Following, the aforementioned person enters the pilots cabin, sits in the position of the pilot and tries to control the airplane, while another person also enters the cabin and takes the seat of the co-pilot. However, none of them is wearing headphones, a fact which is indicated in the lack of communication with the aircraft.

This report as well as the evidence from the black box is expected to contribute to the investigation of the tragedys causes, while they show the heroism of Andreas Prodromou and efforts to prevent the accident.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related News:

Second Black Box Decoded

Scenarios Confirmed

[02] Golden Water Polo Girls

By Vasilis Kalpinos

Today, the womens Greek national water polo team made one of the most important wins in its history. The team of Koulis Iosifides, after the silver medal in the Athens Olympic Games, won the home team of Russia by 13-10, thus stepping up at the highest step of the podium in the 2nd World League event in Kirishi, Russia. The eight minutes were as follows: 4-3, 2-5, 0-4, 4-1.

The Greek national team conquered the first place undefeated, playing against and winning the following teams: World Champion Hungary 6-4, Canada 10-9, and Olympian Italy 15-6.

The team: Ellinaki, Mavrelou, Kozoboli 1, Moraitidou 1, Iosifidou, Karagianni 5, Asimaki, Kantzou 1, Liosi 1, Oikonomopoulou 1, Roubesi 3, Lara, Tsouri Coach: Koulis Iosifides

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[03] Prevented Attack in British Parliament

By Mary Lou Tzempelikou

Sources: Sunday Times, NET, ANA

The British newspaper, Sunday Times, made an important revelation, according to which Scotland Yard discovered and prevented an organised Al Qaeda chemical attack in parliament. As the newspaper states, the plan was prepared last year and was revealed when coded emails were discovered in the computers of suspects involved in terrorists groups, which were seized in Great Britain and Pakistan. Following, the British Police and the M15 located an Al Qaeda-linked cell, which had made a great research over the preparation of the attack. According to the article, the emails were de-coded with the help of an Al Qaeda informer, while the code helped the Security Authorities uncover other plans. As its was expected, the security level in parliament has increased.

"Dirty Bomb" and Sarin Gas

Furthermore, the newspaper acquired a confidential document of the Police, in which its stated that a secret meeting took place over the case, while a high rank officer revealed that the plan foresaw an attack with a "dirty bomb" and sarin gas, while he added "one of its targets was the parliament as well as the Underground."

However, regardless of the upgrade of security level in parliament and the successful uncovering of the terrorist plan, the Police officials are concerned and describe security measures in Parliament as "unacceptable."

Actually, a Police memo written after the July 7 attacks, reveals that firstly there is fear over an attack, and secondly that such an attack could easily kill British MPs.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related Links:

Times

UK Parliament

Metropolitan Police

[04] Blows Below the Belt

By Vagelis Theodorou

A 93-year-old woman from Lithuania put on a show of strength and strategy on two would-be robbers. A beautiful morning, two young men knocked on Soja Popovas door and she rushed to open. Entering the house the robbers threw her on the floor believing she wouldnt put up a fight, due to her old age. However, it seems that the grandmother had an ace up her sleeve. As Mrs Popova lied on the floor, she stretched out her arm and using all her powers started squeezing him at the most sensitive part of his body: his family jewels! The screams of agony were heard by the other robber who rushed to his rescue, but also alarmed the neighbors who called the Police. The would-be robbers escaped by the bedroom window and were arrested a few meters away from the crime scene. As a Police spokesperson stated, one had trouble walking and asked the policemen to be taken into hospital as he was suffering from great pain. And while one robber is hospitalised, the other awaits him behind bars, while Mrs Popova shows-off her arms claiming that her strength is due to her daily intake of goat milk. Did you drink yours today?

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[05] Smoke Alarm in Luggage Compartment Emergency Landing in Osaka

By Vagelis Theodorou

The 173 passengers and 13 crewmembers of airline company Qantas were agitated, since the airplane performed an emergency landing in Osaka, Japan after a smoke alarm sounded in the luggage compartment. The Airbus A330 had taken off from Perth, Australia en route to Tokyo when a smoke alarm sounded in the luggage compartment, and forced the pilot to perform an emergency landing in Osaka, and to evacuate the craft. Even if none of the passengers were injured, however, nine of them were in shock and were taken into hospital. "The evacuation was necessary for precautionary reasons, and the crew lowered the special plastic slides," states the Qantas announcement. After a thorough check, no traces of fire or smoke were found, while the company believes that the alarm sounded due to the malfunction of special sensors in the luggage compartment.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[06] Ministry of Economy's Main Aims Stability and Growth for 2006

By Mary Lou Tzempelikou

Sources: NET, ANA

The financial policy of the government for the coming year will be focused at the reinforcement of outward looking policies, entrepreneurship and productivity. Sources of the Ministry of Economy stated that the "bet" for 2006 is for the necessary reforms to be advanced speedily, and without burdening the citizens. The long-term aim of the government is for the announcements of the stability and growth programme to be followed, while furthermore public expenses will be restricted, a combination that already has started giving positive results. The aforementioned aims are redefined in view of the 2006 Budget charter which has three main terms: the decrease of deficit below 3% of GDP, the increase of growth over 3.5% and the withholding of the original expenses. Concerning the last term, the government will achieve it by cuts in public expenses, the tidying up of DEKOs, the rationalization of the Public Sector and the restriction of bureaucracy.

Cuts of Grants

Moreover, in order to satisfy the demands of the Ministries that absorb grants from the Budget, it is foreseen that grants will be cut for overtime, travel expenses and funding in 2006.

In closing, special attention will be given to the cooperation of the Public and Private Sector, the freeing of the energy market and the new development bill, while the new model of DEKOs will be based on private and economic criteria.

An encouraging fact is that regardless that 2005 was a difficult year due to the global oil prices and the debts of the Olympic Games, a great income of funds from the EU, as well as the increase of tourism has been noted.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[07] Golden Ski Jump

By Vasilis Kalpinos

Proving that she is going through one of the best performance seasons in her career Aggeliki Andrianopoulou was crowned World Champion in jump. The Greek athlete earned the gold medal in the World Water Ski Championships, which took place in Dongli Lake, in Tianjin, China, while she also received the silver medal in tricks and slalom. In the jump Andrianopoulou earned first place by 52.40m and neared her own national record of 53.30.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

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