Jet with 131breaks into 3 pieces

Jet with 131breaks into 3 pieces
AP
BOGOTA (Colombia), AUG 16
A Boeing 737 jetliner with 131 passengers aboard crashed on landing and broke into three pieces at a Colombian island in the Caribbean early today. The region’s governor said it was a miracle that only one person died.
Colombian Air Force Col David Barrero said officials were investigating reports the plane had been hit by lightning before crashing at 1:49 a m (1219 IST) while landing at San Andres Island, a resort island of 78,000 people about 190 kilometres east of the Nicaraguan coast.
San Andres Governor Pedro Gallardo said 125 passengers and six crew members had been aboard, but the only person killed was Amar Fernandez de Barreto (65). At least five people were reported injured.
“It was a miracle and we have to give thanks to God,” the governor said.
Barrero, commander of the Caribbean Air Group, said by telephone from San Andres “The skill of the pilot kept the plane from colliding with the airport.”
 Barrero said the 7,545-foot (2,300-metre) runway had been closed because parts of the plane were still scattered across it.
The Aires jet had left the Colombian capital of Bogota at about midnight.
Police General Orlando Paez said by telephone that a group of police officers who had been waiting at the airport for the plane to take them back to the Colombian mainland aided in rescuing the victims.