| Tuesday, November 13, 2001, updated at 10:41(GMT+8) |
Dominican Republic Declares Three-Day Mourning for Crash Victims |
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President of the Dominican Republic Hipolito Mejia issued a decree, declaring a three-day national mourning for those killed in Monday's air crash in New York City.
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President of the Dominican Republic Hipolito Mejia issued a decree, declaring a three-day national mourning for those killed in Monday's air crash in New York City.
Most of the 255 people on board the American Airlines plane were Dominicans. More than 160 bodies have been recovered from the crash site in Queens Borough, New York City.
Reports from Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, said that in the wake of the tragedy, President Mejia immediately called the National Emergency Committee to meet and discuss what actions would be taken.
Meanwhile, a governmental commission was established to take care of relatives of the deceased in the accident, who gathered at Santo Domingo's Las Americas International Airport for more information.
An official team will travel to New York City to collaborate with the U.S. authorities in organizing the possible transportation of the bodies of the Dominican victims to Santo Domingo.
According to initial reports, out of the victims, 175 were Dominicans.
On the other hand, the Dominican phone company Codetel announced that through the day, relatives of the victims can use the firm's services free of charge for five minutes to the United States.
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