Communiqués

Note: Check against delivery

Speaking Notes for the TSB Chairman
TSB News Conference
CFB Shearwater

1:30pm, 27 October 1998 Introduction

• On the night of the Swissair accident, I said all the resources necessary would be made available to determine what happened to Flight 111, and more importantly to determine why this tragedy happened.
• During the past two days, I have had an opportunity to see first hand how the resources of the TSB, and the other agencies involved, are being employed to deal with the aftermath of this accident.

Appreciation

• One day, early in September, more than 2000 individuals were involved - in some capacity or another - contending with the wake of Swissair 111.
• This tragedy has brought into play expertise other than that normally associated with an air investigation.
• The Canadian Forces, the RCMP, the Canadian Coast Guard, our own Transportation Safety Board investigators, the United States Navy, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Nova Scotia Chief Medical Examiner and the Provincial and Federal Emergency Measures Organization have all played important roles, under very difficult and demanding circumstances.
• Canadians have made and continue to make a large financial contribution to the accident investigation and other aspects of this operation. Preliminary figures indicate that, to date, the federal government has incurred costs of $20 million.
• I would like again to express my appreciation, on behalf of the Board, to those who have been working around the clock here in the Halifax and St. Margaret's Bay area. I would like to emphasize the tremendous generosity and the precious help that the people of Nova Scotia and the many volunteers from across the Maritimes have brought to this collective effort.
• At the memorial service last month in Indian Harbour, I was deeply moved by the words of Claire Mortimer who lost her father and stepmother on September 2^nd. Ms. Mortimer noted that many continue to work day and night. "Your grace, your generosity and your compassion mean so much," she said at the service.
• It is gratifying to see how the work of those involved in the search, recovery and investigation has been received by the victims' families, the aviation industry and by Canadians from coast to coast.

Professional Team Effort

• The investigation of the Swissair crash has brought together a multi-disciplined team of investigators from around the world. Some of the world's leading experts are working in this area - and at laboratories, like our own TSB Engineering Laboratory in Ottawa - and in other locations across the globe.
• We have gathered together pilots, engineers, technicians, scientists, researchers and experts in air navigation, cabin procedures and other aspects of modern flight. They are all working to achieve one goal - to determine what happened on September 2^nd, and what needs to be changed to make aviation even safer.
• There is an international protocol which sets out how investigators from around the world work together on a major air crash, such as Swissair Flight 111. That is Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. This investigation is once again demonstrating the effectiveness of such international cooperation through such formal protocols.
• The merits of objective and independent investigation of transportation accidents have been demonstrated to Canadians on several occasions. Our Canadian legislation has set in place an independent investigation capacity that is enhanced by international cooperation - not bound by borders, nor specialties, nor vested interests.

Progress

• I am most impressed with what has been accomplished to date here in the Halifax and St. Margaret's Bay area. So far, 60 per cent of the accident aircraft wreckage, including the three engines, has been recovered.
• Our Investigator-in-Charge, Mr. Gerden will bring us up to date in a moment.
• Before he does, I wanted to say that it will take some time to get the answers to the many questions that this crash has raised. Various teams of experts must carefully examine every piece of wreckage. All the information that the investigators have gathered, and will gather, must be correlated to get a clearer picture of what happened. Some of the work will be done at Canadian Forces Base Shearwater and other work will be undertaken at special facilities such as the TSB Engineering Laboratory.
• This crash investigation is very complicated and complex and this work will take time. It will likely be more than a year before Members of the Transportation Safety Board and I will be able to issue the report that will be based on the work carried out by Mr. Gerden and his team. The report may contain recommendations to deal with any safety deficiencies that are found.
• However, if during the investigation, anything is found that requires immediate action, Board Members will not hesitate to act.
• Yesterday, we issued interim recommendations stemming from the ongoing investigation into a crash last June of a Fairchild Metroliner at Mirabel. The NTSB, which continues to work with us on that investigation, as it is on this one, issued recommendations of its own yesterday.
• These interim recommendations, issued by the TSB and the NTSB, are independent, but mutually supportive. I wanted to point this out as an example of how the two investigative agencies working in harmony can respond to identified safety deficiencies.
• You may rest assured that the many professionals from around the world who are working here in the Halifax and St. Margaret's Bay area and elsewhere will strive to provide as many answers as possible concerning Swissair 111.
• I remain optimistic that we will identify any safety deficiencies that may exist, and that we will be able to make recommendations as to what corrective action should be taken.
• My Board's commitment to those who travel by air is that we will do everything possible to reduce the risks associated with flying. That, in short, is our mandate - advancing transportation safety.
• I would like Vic to update you now on the ongoing investigation he is directing.