Safety experts have described as ‘a miracle’ the low death toll from the crash of a Turkish Airlines aircraft at Amsterdam airport yesterday.
Relatives of the nine dead and 86 injured arrived in the Netherlands as the crash inquiry gathered pace in a field near Schiphol Airport.
Fred Sanders, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Board, said ‘It is a real wreck. That so many people were able to walk out was truly remarkable. Some have called it a miracle.’
Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim also said the low death toll was a miracle.
The Boeing 737-800, carrying 135 people, crashed into a muddy field just short of the runway yesterday morning.
Witnesses described seeing the tail of the jet hit the edge of a busy road in light fog and drag along the ground before the plane broke in three.
Of the nine dead, three were crew members. Six of the 86 injured were in critical condition and 25 were serious.
Mr Sanders said casualties were cut by the fact that the plane did not catch fire when it crashed.
He said the investigation at the crash scene would take a few days, after then the wreckage would be moved away. He said an interim report could be released in weeks.
About 40 investigators were taking part in the inquiry, led by the Dutch Safety Board supported by local and airport police teams.
Authorities have still not released the identities or nationalities of those killed or hurt, beyond saying they included Dutch and Turkish citizens.
