All Aboard Kam Air 737 Presumed Dead

NATO troops in Afghanistan Sunday were unable to reach the crash site where all 104 passengers aboard a Kam Air 737 are thought to have died Thursday.

"Helicopters have been flying all around the area, but we haven't been able to get any troops in... the cliffs are so steep," said ISAF spokeswoman Karen Tissot van Patot in an interview with Reuters.

She said ground forces were so hampered by weather and terrain in their effort to reach the crash site that they decided to stop and make camp Sunday.

"The troops will camp overnight and set out again in the morning," said Van Patot.

The aircraft, which was turned away by heavy weather as it tried to land in Kabul Thursday night, went down in treacherous mountains outside Kabul. The crash site is reportedly at about 11,000 feet MSL.

Military officials in Afghanistan say the approach to Kabul Airport is tough even on clear days. The airport itself is surrounded by mountains and there's no precision approach. Crews have to fly toward the airport, then execute a tight turn to make the runway.

The 737's wreckage has been under surveillance by helicopters flying over the mountains since Friday. The ground search is expected to continue Monday.

FMI: www.afghan-web.com