Over 80 Dead

A Boeing 727 carrying 140 people has apparently gone down shortly after takeoff from the West African nation of Benin. The aircraft, reportedly operated by a Lebanese charter outfit by the name of UTA, was designated flight 141 and appears to have impacted in the sea, just after departure from the capital city of Cotonou. Benin is a small nation, west of Nigeria, and bordered by the Atlantic ocean.

Beninese airport spokesmen reported that the aircraft appeared to be having problems retracting it's landing gear when it hit a building at the end of the runway and impacted in the sea, about 1415 GMT, Christmas Day.

Current reports indicate that over 60 bodies have been recovered from the coastline and pictures from the scene reveal a badly broken-up aircraft with visible sections of wing, cockpit, landing gear and the rear fuselage.

The flight was supposedly charted by two Lebanese businessmen who were facilitating holiday travel for a predominantly Lebanese clientele.

FMI: http://usembassy.state.gov/benin/