European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 30, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 the stars and stripes tuesday August 30,1988 identification of air show dead continuing by Deedee Arrington Dok Kaiserslautern Bureau Ramstein a West Germany air Force officials turned to unclaimed cars and dental records monday in an attempt to identify victims of sunday Sair show disaster. Death figures fluctuated and no names of victims were released but it was believed at least 42 people were killed when three italian air Force planes collided at the annual flu tag air show. It takes time to identify people an nationalities said 1st it. Alan Sattler a base spokesman. It s a big problem. They re trying every possible method to come up with identification including dental records cars left behind and Call ing units to see if anyone is throughout sunday night and int monday about 65 volunteers staffed a Bank of phones that served As an Emer gency Clearinghouse for information on missing people. In the aftermath of the crash thousands of people were Sepa rated from their friends and families. A2 a hour traffic Jam to get off base added to the confusion. When news of the disaster reached the United states frantic friends and rela Tives began calling Ramstein to find out if their loved ones were Safe. One woman called every 15 min utes a Volunteer said. While no figures were available on How Many lost people were matched through the Clearinghouse about 1,000 names of potential missing persons were turned in. And there were Success stories such As a toddler hospitalized at Homburg who could t remember her name. She eventually was matched up with her parents who had been taken to Lan Stuhl army regional medical Center for treatment. A lot of things Are coming together a woman said. The Effort to do the smallest thing has been at a press conference at Ramstein monday German defense minister Rupert Scholz announced that German . Air forces would not conduct train ing flights thursday in Honor of the trag Edy victims. Gen. William l. Kirk Safe com Mander issued a statement monday expressing grief Over the tragic we extend 9ur deepest sympathy to those of All nationalities who lost loved ones Kirk said. For those who were injured both civilian and military Weare doing All we can to ensure they Are provided the Best possible care. Again words cannot express our grief Over this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers Are with All those who Are Kirk toured the crash site monday with Gen. John r. Galvin supreme Al lied commander Europe. The two meteor at least two hours monday with Scholz and . Ambassador to Ger Many Richard Burt. The Centrepiece of what remained at the Accident site monday was the charred ruins of a single air plane lodged at the end of refrigeration trailer. Scattered across the area were parts of the plane. Bicycles thrown on the ground As their riders ran from the air plane s flames and cars abandoned by their owners com prised most of the larger debris left on the grass. On one four door car two doors had been Flung open and an empty pop bottle stood on the roof. Standing guard at the scene of this strangely quiet Jumble were . Air Force Security police. The scene at a base theater was More Active As people who wanted to let their friends and relatives in the United state know that they were Safe took advantage of free Telephone lines arranged by the1964th comm group. My other relatives called last night Tosee if we were All right Wanda Tyl of sul Bachtal said. My Mother has called. It s better for me to give her a Call to let her in other developments some witnesses said they though the planes May have been flying too Low and too close to spectators. Witnesses said the jets were flying at about 100 fee when the collision occurred the associated press Koplin head of the Federal aeronautics office in Braunschweig said regulations require that aircraft other than helicopters stay above 500 other West German officials pointed out that the rules for air shows Tanato military bases Are set by the Mili tary authorities involved. President Reagan prepared Mes sages of condolence monday for the fam Ilies of those killed and injured. The italian air Force stunt team involved in the air show disaster will eliminate manbevers that Fly Over people an reduce the number of planes at other performances this year air Force chief Pisano said. For is John Flanagan their faces showing fright and horror spectators run from the deadly inferno following the crash of an italian air Force Aerial team. Ban from Page 1 seek safer ways for pilots to demonstrate their flying skills to the Public. Until recommendations Are presented on which decisions can be made there will be with the agreement of the Allied air forces no air shows involving military aircraft in the Federal Republic of Germany Scholz a member of the Christian democratic Union said in statement released by his Bonn office. Also earlier monday Burt said the air Force was cancelling a sept. 17 air show at Pitburg a with the Clear understanding correction an article Friday incorrectly stated two details from the court martial of a Navy lieutenant commander on charges of sexual harassment. The four Navy women working for the convicted officer All were enlisted personnel and the prosecutor in the Case asked that the accused Man be sentenced to four years confinement. That there would be other air shows. In another interview on the German television network Ard Scholz acknowledged that air shows like the one a Ramstein Are popular with the Public and provide a Good Way for air forces to demonstrate their capabilities. On the other hand he said sheer interest on the part of the Public must not be permitted to Lead to unacceptable risks. That surely won t do he said. Germany and the United states will begin talks on ways of making air shows safer Burt said. Both Scholz and Burt said the aerobatics performed at Ramstein had no connection with Low level training flights which they said still Are needed. Echoing that statement . r. Galvin nato s top military commander in Europe said i m concerned that this Accident would cause people to relate it somehow to Low level training it should have no Impact on Low level in Germany reaction to the tragedy ranged from sorrow to outrage among the other three political parties at the Federal level while the Rheinland Pfalz state Interior minister Rudi Geil won dered whether such Aerial displays Ever could be staged again in Germany in Europe or in the entire civilized the Green party called for the Resig nation of Scholz who earlier had defended the Ramstein air show in the face of criticism from political and Church organizations according to the associated press. The other two parties expressed sym Pathy for the injured and the families of the dead. This is not the hour for accusations and critical confrontations with those who Are responsible social democratic party chairman Hans Jochen Vogel said monday at a party conference i Miinster. But Vogel promised a later confrontation where those who Lon have demanded an end to such performances will be raising their the Bonn office of the free demo cratic party which participates in a governing coalition with the Christian democrats and Christian social Union Sai Scholz should prohibit the West German air Force from participating in air show Sand encourage other Allied military Lead ers to follow Nis example. Immediately after the Accident Scholz cancelled a sept. 25 air show by West German military planes. Free democrats spokesman Ger Hartbaum said the air show disaster does not justify accusations or action against Don t demand any personnel action. We see no cause for it Baum the state of Rheinland Pfalz where the Accident occurred the state parliament has scheduled a special session for sept. 8 to discuss the Ramstein disaster and its consequences according to greens representative Horst state s Ftp organization said monday that politicians should not try to exploit the crash for political gain. In a letter to West German foreign minister Hans Dietrich Genscher an Ftp Mem Ber the state Ftp urged him to Call for Europe wide ban on such air shows at the next nato defense ministers state parliament had passed a Reso Lution july 7 calling for a ban on military flight training either Over inhabited areas or below 1,000 feet. The vote closely Fol Lowed several West German air disasters including a midair collision of two . F-16s in Rheinland Pfalz on june 29 and an f-16 crash the same Day in the neighbouring state of this month several state Mem Bers of the social democratic and free democratic parties asked the Rheinland Pfalz government to Stop the air show at Ramstein. Several lawmakers then tried to organize a Boycott of the event when their Appeal to the government failed
