Four Survivors In Saturday Air Taxi Accident

An Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante chartered by Manaus Aerotaxis went down with reported engine trouble Saturday, crashing into the River Manacapuru in the Brazilian Amazon basin. Only four survivors of the water ditching have been found.

Agence-France Presse reports the plane had departed Coari Airport on its way to Manaus with 26 passengers and two crew. Survivors said one of the engines failed and the plane lost altitude... then as the plane prepared for ditching, it hit something and nosed into the water.

Despite the efforts of search and rescue divers continuing through the night, only four survivors were found, one of them a nine-year-old boy.

Aircraft manufacturer Embraer issued a statement Sunday expressing condolences and its willingness to assist in the crash investigation. "Embraer has made a technical team available to CENIPA (the investigation authority of Brazil's Aeronautics Command), supporting the investigations underway, and is closely following all the developments regarding this tragic incident," said the planemaker.

FMI: www.embraer.com, www.manausaerotaxi.com.br