From yesterday's Santo Domingo El Nacional editorial, this writer makes some good points (my translation):
Rumors have apparently taken command about the crash of an American Airlines plane ...
Even though hours after the tragedy everything pointed towards accepting that it was due to accidental causes and not terrorism, people's fertile imagination as well as suspicion, has entered the picture.
There are those who say that no US official dare admit that the plane was the victim of terrorism, due to the enormous repercussions that would provoke.
(snip about lots of theories people have prooposed)
They conclude that, among other things, that would increase to dangerous levels the panic situation that exists in a large portion of the American public, due to the September terrorist acts.
They add that one also has to take into account the mortal blow that would give to US aviation business, and who knows in what other parts of the world.
I don't accept any of these speculations, nor do I accept those who say that birds that fly around Kennedy airport could have affected the engine, which then fell, as they say has happened in other occasions.
I still believe that the tragedy had its origin in the negligence and ineptitude of those who work on repairing airplanes, who caused a delay of more than one hour in the plane's leaving for Santo Domingo.
I have been told that similar repairs have been made in Santo Domingo on planes leaving Las Americas airport.
It is difficult for American Airlines to admit this possibility, because of the indemnification they would have to pay could reach levels that would threaten the permanence of the insurance companies that would have to pay. Imagine that, right now, it is estimated that the insurance payments will be about one thousand million dollars distributed among the victim's families.
I don't know if in the crashed A300 black boxes they will find evidence of the cause of the accident, or if the authorities will be disposed to reveal everything they find.
The great truth, nonetheless, is that almost 300 people are dead, and it will be difficult for their families, whatever may have caused the accident, to accept that reality, as a consequence of an unexpected act.
But I hope the whole truth will be known, without any manipulations. |
