Bethpage-Tribune_1990-02-01

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YOUR OFFICIAL HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
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Island Trees Plainedge Seaford Old Bethpage Plainview
VOL. 23 NO. 12 FEBRUARY 1-7, 1990 25 CENTS
A VIANCA TRA
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A Night WellN^ver Forget,A Rescue We7/ Always Remember
There was virtually nothing left to the Avianca jet after it crashed in the
exclusive Cove Neck area. Shown here is the inside of the 707. All of the
jet's seats had been removed in order to assist the injured passengers.
by Linda Antonelli
it was a rainy, foggy almost spring
like night in Bethpage, Thursday,
January 25. People watching televi­sion
in their homes, readying for bed.
1 myself was watching one of my
Thursday night favorites when sud-denly...
SPEClAL REPORT.
it was then at approximately 9:30
pm that tragedy and disaster struck
home with the crash of Avianca flight
52 departing from Columbia in Cove
Neck, Long Island. First reports
indicated an emergency landing in the
harbor, second reports then confirmed
that the plane went down with approx­imately
161 people: aboard, in the
exclusive and isolated area of Cove
Neck. It was then that I decided to
find out for myself. As we drove in
the rain towards Oyster Bay we really
did not have the exact location of the
crash site ...until the radio broadcast
that pinpointed the location as Tennis
Ct. Road.
We headed north and as we entered
the Syosset area it became quite
obvious as to the direction of the site-
We joined Police Departments, Fire
Departments and rescue workers as
they raced to get to the fallen Boeing
jet. When we reached Cove Neck
Road, which is the only main artery
to the crash site, we were forced to
abandon our vehicle and make the
journey on foot. This was due to the
fact that Cove Neck Road would hi^ve
been virtually impassable if all thmsf
who came to aid those hurt were
permitted to drive into the area. The
roadway leading 4:o the crash site was
so thin it was soon obvious to see the
extreme difficulty the ambulances and
rescue teams were having in entering
and exiting the site.
By this time it was approximately
10:45 p.m. and as we ventured down
Cove Neck Road we were stopped half
way because of instructions to restrain
the press at that point in order to to
avoid further chaos at the crash site.
We waited patiently for about 2 hours
and then walked to the next check
point where we were asked to show
identification and were again res­trained
for another 2 hours.
The last check point was at the
intersection of Tennis Ct. Road and
Cove Neck Road . As we waited
there we saw ambulance alter ambu­lance,
rescue team after rescue team,
leave the crash site with victims in
desperate need of medical assistance.
Sea Cliff, Wantagh, Oyster Bay,
Syosset, and Bethpage Rescue teams
among other teams making trip after
trip to every viable area hospital
in our area. Sirens, alarms and the
noise of helicopters taking off filled
the air as an almost eery light illumi­nated
the entire area.
It was about 3:00am when the press
was permitted to view the crash site.
AH we walked up the steep narrow
(Continued on puge 12)
Pictured above is the wreckage of Avianca's flight S2, a Biding 707 carrying
approximately 161 people from Colombia, which crashed in Cove Neck,
Long island on January 25, 1990. The 111 fated jet was said to have run
out of fuel on its way to JFK Airport. The seven engine jet took 73 liv^.
These photos were taken the day after the crash.
The Night Long Island
Came Together
Avianca Crasli Unites Long Iskadia Va^ntRescue
by Linda AntoneUi
Ithough Cove Neck, Long
Island is quite a distance
from Bethpage, our com­munity
responded in many
ways that night and in the days
following to aid the victims of Avi-anca's
flight 52, Our rescue workers,
ike departments, and residents truly
joined forces and made every effort
to assist our friends from Colombia
who desperately needed medical
assistance and or emotional support.
1 spoke with the Bethpage Fire
Department the day after the aii
disaster and wa.s truly moved by al
those who I had the privilege to speal
with.
The Bethpage Fire Departmem
arrived at the scene at approximatelj
10:lSpm with 2 ambulances, a distric
pick up truck filled with 25 back
boards, 9 triage boxes and vanec
disaster equipment and with ai
assistant chief. When they ttwz^m
Cove Neck Road, they, much liki
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