NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
July 21, 1999

STATEMENT BY NTSB CHAIRMAN JIM HALL AND REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD LARABEE

At approximately 11:30 last night, the remote operated vehicle (ROV) operated from the U.S.S. Grasp, operating from data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, discovered a large portion of the fuselage. The wreckage was found less than a half mile from the prime point derived from radar data analysis.

The area was examined by the ROV until the wreckage was confirmed to be that of N9253N, when operations ceased for the evening.

When informed of this development, we went out to the ships to monitor the operation.

This morning, the U.S.S. Grasp has repositioned over the wreckage site and hard hat diving will begin.

The top priority of the operation will be to locate and recover all the victims.

Cape Cod Command Center - (508) 968 - 6613 (508) 968 - 6614