Izinxushunxushu ezinkulu zinyakazise indiza ye-Continental Airlines ngoMsombuluko, kwalimala inqwaba yabagibeli nokuphoqe indiza ukuthi iphambukele eMiami, eFlorida, ngokusho kwenkampani yezindiza kanye nesikhulu sezomlilo.
Bekunabagibeli abangu-168 nabasebenzi abangu-11 kuFlight 128, ebisuka eRio de Janeiro, eBrazil, ilibangise eHouston, eTexas, ngokwesitatimende seContinental Airlines.
"Angikaze ngibone isiyaluyalu esifana nalesi, ngakho bengicabanga ukuthi ngeke siphumelele," umgibeli uGiovani Loss utshele inkampani esebenzisana ne-CNN i-WSVN-TV. ULoss, ongowokudabuka eBrazil, uthe ungummeli e-United States futhi ujwayele ukuhamba phakathi kwala mazwe womabili.
Uthe abagibeli besaba ukuthi lesi siphithiphithi sidalwe yizinkinga zemishini ebhanoyini.
“Abantu [babe]klabalasa, kwase kuba nokuthula okukhulu isikhathi esingangemizuzu engama-30,” kusho uLoss.
Ama-ambulensi nezinye izimoto bezikleliswe emgwaqeni ukwelapha nokuthutha abagibeli abalimele ngesikhathi indiza ifika eMiami International Airport ngo-5:35 ekuseni.
"Abantu abebengabopheli izihlalo bandize bashayisa usilingi," umgibeli uJohn Norwood etshela i-WSVN. "Ngakho-ke ubuso babo, amakhanda abo ashaya amapulasitiki futhi aphule wonke amapulasitiki phezulu."
I-Continental ithe abagibeli abayisikhombisa baphuthunyiswe ezibhedlela eziseduze, kanti abanye abagibeli abalinganiselwa ku-28 balashelwe endaweni yesigameko. ULt. Elkin Sierra woMnyango Wezomlilo eMiami-Dade uthe kulimale abagibeli abangu-26, okubalwa nabane kanzima.
I-Boeing 767-200 ishaye isiphithiphithi cishe ngamamayela angu-50 enyakatho ye-Dominican Republic cishe ngamamitha angu-38,000, ngokusho kwesikhulu se-Federal Aviation Administration. Ifike eMiami ngemuva kwehora ikhanyise izimpawu zebhande, kusho inkampani yezindiza.
Iningi labagibeli lithe alizwanga isexwayiso ngaphambi kokuthi kuhlasele lesi siphithiphithi.
Ukulimala okutholakele kubalwa amaqhubu, imihuzuko, izinhlungu zentamo nomgogodla, kusho uSierra.
Abagibeli bathe babone abantu abaningi bephuma igazi emakhanda, okuhlanganisa nowesifazane oyedwa odubuleke kabi ekhanda.
Indiza ihlelelwe ukuthi isuke eMiami ilibangise eHouston ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ekuseni, ngokusho kwesizindalwazi se-Continental. Bekuhlelelwe ukuthi ifike eHouston ngo-6 ekuseni ngesikhathi sendawo.
