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Santa Barbara Airlines Flight 518 Crash Near Merida, Venezuela |
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| Summary of the Accident |
| On Thursday, February 21, 2008, a plane carrying 46 people crashed into the Andes mountains in an area known as Los Conejos plateau within the Sierra La Culata National Park in western Venezuela. The wreckage from the twin-engine plane was found by rescue crews at an altitude of 13,500 feet, 6 miles from the city of Merida and 400 miles southwest of Caracas. Officials stated that none of the 46 on board survived. In addition to the Venezuelans on board, the plane crash victims include three Colombians and one U.S. citizen. |
| Flight 518 was operated by Santa Barbara Airlines, a small Venezuelan airline that covers domestic and international flights. The French-made ATR 42-300 aircraft was carrying 43 passengers and three crew members when it took off from Merida's airport en route to Simon Bolivar International Airport near Caracas. |
| The flight was reported missing 30 minutes after taking off, and residents of the region reported hearing a loud, thunderous crash. Currently, there is no known cause for the crash. After take-off, the control tower received no further communication from the Santa Barbara Airlines’ pilots and officials report that weather conditions were typical for Merida. Specialists from the French manufacturer of the ATR 42-300 airplane and from Pratt and Whitney, the manufacturers of the airplane’s engines, as well as investigators from the French Accident Bureau, have been sent to Venezuela to assist in the investigation of the Merida crash. The black box recorders were recovered on Saturday, February 23, 2008. |
| The Legal Rights of Victims and Families Whose Loved Ones Die in Aviation Accidents |
| We appreciate that this is a time of deep pain and grief for the families of the passengers and crew who died in the Santa Barbara crash in Venezuela. In the coming weeks, however, you may well have questions concerning how and why the crash occurred, your legal rights, and compensation that may be available to you. For answers to many of your questions on aviation law please visit our Aviation Law Frequently Asked Questions page. |
| You will also have questions on the duties and legal responsibility of Santa Barbara Airlines; the manufacturers of the plane and its engines; the airport authority; and other corporations involved in the operations and maintenance of the aircraft. |
| Lieff Global is collaborating with an international team of aviation safety attorneys and experts to address these questions and provide legal assistance to the families who lost their loved ones. |
| Contact International Aviation Law Attorneys |
| Families whose loved ones died in the Transaven accident are welcome to contact Lieff Global by email to learn more about their legal rights. You may also telephone us toll-free at 1-800-541-7358 in the U.S., or 1-415-788-8000 from outside the U.S., and request to speak to attorney Lexi J. Hazam. |
| If you wish, you may alternatively contact us in Italy: if so, please call our colleagues at the Ambrosio & Commodo law firm in Turin at 011-545054 and request to speak to attorney Stefano Bertone or attorney Marco Bona. |
| About Lieff Global |
| Lieff Global, LLP, is an AV-rated law
firm with offices in San Francisco and New York, and affiliate
offices worldwide. Our representation has included both Americans
and people residing in Europe and Asia in aviation lawsuits
filed worldwide. |
| Lieff Global is uniquely positioned
to answer your questions and represent your interests. Our
attorneys have over forty years of experience litigating airplane
crash cases worldwide. We have relationships with the foremost
experts in the fields of aviation safety and disaster analysis. |
| Learn
more about the services we provide our clients. Alternatively,
you can read
a summary of our firm's expertise in aviation accident
cases. |
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Families whose loved ones have died or been injured in an airline crash are welcome to contact an aviation lawyer at Lieff Global by email to learn more about their legal rights. Lieff Global is representing families whose loved ones died in various airline crash tragedies. We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions free of charge, without obligation and in strict confidence.
Or call 415 788-8000 and ask to speak to attorney Lexi Hazam. |
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