A woman cries while visiting the crash site of the TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and crashed into a building, killing all the passengers and crew in Sao Paulo July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Women cry while visiting the crash site of the TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and crashed into a building, killing all the passengers and crew in Sao Paulo July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Workers unwrap a truckload of coffins near the crash site of the TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and crashed into a building, killing all the passengers and crew in Sao Paulo July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Water polo players of the U.S (L) and Puerto Rico observe a one minute silence for the victims of the TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and crashed into a building, killing all the passengers and crew in Sao Paulo yesterday, before their match at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Bystanders watch as workers lift onto a truck a section of a TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and into a building before it exploded in fire, in Sao Paulo July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Workers lift onto a truck a section of a TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and into a building before it exploded in fire, in Sao Paulo July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Cars and motorcycles drive by as workers lift onto a truck a section of a TAM airlines Airbus A320 that slid off the runway of Congonhas airport and into a building before it exploded in fire, in Sao Paulo July 18, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
The death toll in the worst airplane accident of Brazil's civil aviation history is even higher than originally expected, as TAM airline updated on Wednesday morning to 186 (from 176) the number of passengers and crew members on doomed flight 3054.
All 186 people are believed to be dead. There are also several victims among the people who were in the building just beyond the airport, against which the TAM Airbus 320 slammed after landing.
The building, which ironically belongs to TAM Express, the cargo shipping division of TAM airlines, went on fire, as the plane crashed into the building, and exploded.
By the beginning of the afternoon (local time), rescue workers have removed 131 dead bodies from the smoking wreckage.
TAM has released the names of all passengers and crew members. The list includes federal representative Julio Redecker.
The local press is since Tuesday evening speculating on the causes of the accident. The initial suspicion regards the runway of Congonhas airport, which was repaved in June, but has still not been grooved to drain water during heavy rains, such as the one on Tuesday in Sao Paulo. Airport authority Infraero is now being blamed to allow Congonhas to operate during a day of heavy rains.
Some experts, however, believe the accident might have been caused by human or equipment failure. They said the lack of grooving does not explain the fact the Airbus 320 reached the end of the Congonhas airport main runway with such speed. The local press quoted a government source, who watched the airport's camera footage of the accident, as saying the Airbus landed at the right spot, but strangely accelerate after the landing.
Congonhas airport reopened on Wednesday morning, using an alternate runway.
(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2007)
