European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside strikes d cafes cuts prices on some movie tickets Page 2 o Ramirez convicted of night stalker killings Page 5 d o s slice jays Lead to 1 game sports Page 21 d thousands flee As Hugo nears  Page 28 Good morning vol. 48. No 158 Friday september 22, 1989 to sum d 8693 a 19 die in school bus plunge Alton. Texas a a bus crowded with Young stars on their Way to school thursday plunged More than 40 feel into a water filled pit after being struck Bya delivery truck. Nineteen students were killed and 65 people were sent to  students scrambled out or the submerged bus and stood on it screaming for help. Rescuers dived in12 feet of water to pull out survivors and the dead trapped in the  pulled youngsters out of the bus As note books and school papers floated on the water. Four boats firefighters from six departments and about 10 divers helped in the  Driver had picked up his last student in route to nearby Mission High school when the bus collided with soft drink truck about 7 40 . At an intersection just cast of Alton North of the  Border. A witness Mike Herrera said he saw the truck hit the school bus from behind pushing it off the Road about 20 feet and into an  gravel pit that was filled wit water. The truck remained alongside the Road. Sol. David Baker of the state department of Public safety said he believed the truck was travelling North and the bus West when they collided. Both Drivers were being treated at hospitals. Their conditions were withheld. Roads were dry and the weather was Clear at the time of the Accident. All the dead were 12 to is years old. Said Mike Cox. 2 killed Asef aborts Takeoff skids into  East River new York a a us air Pilot sought Permis Sion to abort Takeoff moments before his jetliner Slid into the East River killing two passengers but did not say what the problem was. Officials said thursday. Many of the 61 survivors praised Crew members fellow passengers and rescuers for Quick action after the Boeing 737 plunged into the water at 11 29 . Investigators recovered the plane s two flight record ers and National transportation safety Board officials talked to the Crew. The three pieces of the Jet remained in the water off Laguardia Airport. Flight 5050, bound for Charlotte n.c., was accelerating Down the runway in a Light rain when the control Tower acknowledged the Pilot s request to abort and cleared him to turn onto the last taxiway before the end of the runway. There was no indication of Why he was aborting said Federal aviation administration spokesman Fred Farrar in Washington. Until we know Why the Guy aborted the Takeoff we have no Way of knowing the cause of the  the Pilot seemed to be accelerating but did t have enough Power to get the plane up. Said passenger Larry Martin. He put on the brakes. The plane took dip and the next thing i knew All hell broke  the plane broke into three pans about 50 to 100feel into bowery Bay its front sections resting above the water on a trestle that held runway lights its Bac sections submerged. The two women who died were seated in the rear. People were on top of each other. People  said Martin who was travelling with his wife Valerie. There was the smell of Gas. Everyone was saying gel out get out gel out " stunned passengers scrambled out doors and onto wings. Some escaped Down an emergency Chute an found themselves in about 25 feel of Walcer. Many Clung to wings or grasped floating timbers. Police scuba divers freed As Many As 15 people who were trapped in the Cabin while rescuers in Boais scooped passengers from the water or off the wings. Rescuers working under the Glare of emergency lights placed slings under the Tail Section to keep it from sinking and had All survivors ashore within 40 minutes. Authorities did not identify the women who died but a relative said they were Betsy Hayter Bogart in her 30s, of Gray tenn., and her Mother in Law Alice Brogan of Roanoke a. Us air spokeswoman Susan Young said there were57 passengers and six Crew members on the plane. Forty five people went to hospitals at least three of whom suffered serious injuries one Wilh a Back injury one with a possible spinal injury and one who suffered a heart attack. The plane was new us air took delivery in Jan uary and it had no history of mechanical problems said airline spokeswoman Nancy Vaughan. An unidentified passenger is taken from the wreckage of the us air Jet in new York City s East her. A Public safety spokesman in  swamped phone lines at the school and Oiher offices As news of the acid Cal  said it was the worst school bus Accident in Texas  survivors and one firefighter were taken to Mcallen medical Center according to spokeswoman Judy gome. Their conditions were withheld. Seven people were taken to Cha Rio Grande medi Cal Center in Mcallen and were admit cd for Obser vation according to a  40 people were taken to Mission general Hospital but Hospital spokeswoman Linda thay Crould nol release any additional information. Details Given on . Bases option plan by William .1. Bartma Washington Bureau Washington the United Stales has drawn up an arms talks option to withdraw from four bases in Britain because the areas arc just excess real estate according to a while House source. Government sources explaining the Bush administration s option cited two reasons for the plan that would affect rats Mildenhall Alcon Bury urn Walers and Fairford the bases would have a minor Mission in a War and air Force officials dislike the a to Jet which is stationed at two of the facilities. On sept. 8, the stars and stripes reported that the Bush administration had told British prime minister Margaret Thatcher that the United slates could pull out of the bases under an agreement that could emerge from he conventional forces in Europe talks being held in Vienna. See Story Page 28. As part of the talks Between nato and the Warsaw pact the West is proposing that each Side be limited to 5,700 combat aircraft. Defense department officials expressed their incredulity about the stripes report on the four bases where about 32,000 service personnel and their family members arc stationed. Third air Force officials continued to dispute that the bases Hud been identified As an option for closing. If such preliminary work has been done it has not been brought to the attention of any one at 3rd air Force it. Col. Sam Giammo,3rd air Force spokesman said wednesday. Asked whether the 3rd air Force commander Mai. Gen. Marcus a. Anderson would know of such proposals Giammo said i would have to think that he would be in on a decision on  has stated that no one has Given him any information to believe that something like that is in the  a state department source said that the preliminary work of deciding which bases could be closed is Complete and that the four British see bases on Back Page Bremerhaven Pov pickup list see Page 72. I ,.-.j,"".-. I & .