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Air NZ crash: Fyfe arrives in France
By ADRIENNE BOURGEON – Sunday, 30 November 2008
Experts at a loss to explain Airbus tragedy
Rob Fyfe’s longest, saddest day
Air New Zealand staff in Perpignan sincerely wish to retrieve their colleagues and return them home, the airline's chief executive Rob Fyfe said at a press conference in the southern French town today.
"Our primary goal is to retrieve our colleagues and return them to New Zealand; that is our sincere wish," a visibly shaken Fyfe told reporters shortly after arriving on a 30-hour flight.
Accompanied by members of one of the families involved, Mr Fyfe made the decision to travel to Perpignan to ensure that everything possible was being done to help.
Since the company was of the accident advised two days ago, the focus has been on supporting the families of the crew aboard the crashed Airbus, he said.
"We don't think anything more could be done and that has been very important for the families of the people who were aboard the aircraft.
Before leaving New Zealand, hespoke to Prime Minister John Key, and said that both the Prime Minister and Air New Zealand were tremendously gratified by the French authorities' effort to search for survivors. Members of three more families are expected from New Zealand in the next two days."
Mr Fyfe arrived in Perpignan accompanied by a team of investigators and several police officers.
Recoveredfrom the submerged wreck off the coast of Perpignan by police divers today, Alzeari said that the "black box" – in reality fluorescent orange – contained the recorded conversation between the pilots in the last minutes leading up to the crash.
The flight recorder retrieved from the crashed Air New Zealand Airbus is to be taken to Paris tomorrow (Sunday, French time) for analysis, Perpignan’s Procureur-Adjoint, Dominique Alzeari said.
A second flight recorder, containing technical data about the flight, such as speed, altitude and navigation information was also precisely located today, but aheavy swell and visibility reduced to only 20 centimetres prevented divers from bringing it to the surface, but he hoped it could be recovered tomorrow (Sunday French time).
It was in one piece and held vital information that should be known within 48 hours, he told reporters at a press conference on Saturday night (French time) in Perpignan.
It was still far too early however, to speculate on the cause of the crash, its origins or the responsibility of those involved.
It would take several days for the all the information to be pieced together,Alzeari said.46pm on Thursday (French time) when two of the seven crew members were found.
No further bodies have been discovered since the crash occured at 4. .
Unfortunately thecondition of the two bodies means they have yetto be visually identified.
Alzearisaid that some of the bodies may still be in the cockpit, the most rigid and reinforced part of the aircraft, which has not yet been accessed.
Themain priority for investigators was to identify the bodies with rapidity and dignity.
. Much of the debris has now been located and covers an area 800m long, 400m wide and 40m deep
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Child rapist already in jail for sex crimes
Friday, 07 November 2008
A Napierman found guilty of sexually abusing two young girls was already behind bars awaiting sentence for abusing another two girls.
An interim order for name suppression was lifted yesterday. Richard Miller was waiting to be sentenced for sexual offending when a jury this week found him guilty of raping a young girl and abusing another. He had been barred from associating with anyone under 16.
Miller has been in custody since April when his electronic bail was revoked after it was found he had breached bail conditions by holding birthday parties for toddlers.
He was found guilty of committing an indecent act on the six-year-old in a car at Nelson Park on September 19.
Miller, 46, was found guilty in the High Court at Napier on Wednesday of six charges relating to girls aged 6 and 10. Five other convictions, including two of rape, involved a 10-year-old girl and occurred in 1990.
He was convicted on two representative charges of indecently assaulting two girls, aged 15 and 16, between February 2006 and February 2007.
His other convictions came after an earlier trial in August. The 16-year-old had stayed with Miller and his wife for a short time.
The 15-year-old was a family friend.
He is due to be sentenced on December 16 – eight days after he is due to be sentenced in the High Court on the other convictions.
Miller was found guilty on August 14 after a two-day trial in Napier District Court.
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Teen seriously injured in Auckland hit and run
– Friday, 31 October 2008
West Auckland police are appealing to the public for help after a teenager was seriously injured in a hit and run.
Police are calling for sightings of a silver Subaru Legacy that was involved in the Tuesday night accident on Henderson Valley Road. .
He remains in a critical condition in Auckland Hospital.15pm.
Waitemata Police communication manager Kevin Loughlin said thedriver did not stop after hitting the man, fleeing towards Te Atatu South.
None of the man’s friends were injured.
The car, which is thought to have been stolen, was recovered by police early on Wednesday morning on Glynbrook Road just off Roberts Road.
Police say a large number of people would have witnessed the vehicle’s movements between Henderson and Te Atatu.
Loughlin saidcar's front plastic bumper and front windscreen were extensively damaged in the incident.
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Anyone with sightings or other information are asked to contact Senior Constable Karl Bevin at the Waitematä Police Serious Crash Unit on 09 481 0307
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Bus driver guilty of grooming teens for sex
Friday, 19 September 2008
A bus driver was told today told to put his affairs in order before he is sentenced for grooming two 15-year-old boys for sex.
A jury found 59-year-old Robert James Ferguson guilty on those two charges this afternoon. He had denied all the charges.
But he was cleared of alternative charges of sexually violating or having unlawful sexual connection with one of the boys, and committing an indecent act with the other.
The three-day trial heard how he met the two intellectually challenged brothers as he drove his bus, and later took them out for a drive, bought them treats, and had them back to his home.
After the verdicts, Judge Jane Farish told the Christchurch District Court jury that Ferguson had previous convictions for indecent assault on a boy aged 12 to 16, and indecent assault on a boy aged over 16 in 1991, and in 1974 he was convicted for indecent exposure.
Defence counsel David Bunce had told the jury that the evidence of the two boys was so inconsistent and improbable that the crown case was weak.
The family of the two boys was in court to see the jury give its verdicts after five hours of deliberations.
He said Ferguson would appreciate time on bail before sentencing, and Judge Farish allowed that, telling him he should put his affairs in order.
He said the verdicts were consistent with Ferguson having indecent intentions towards the boys but not having acted on them.
"Be under no illusions.
She ordered a pre-sentence report and victim impact statements prepared by a psychiatrist on the two boys. It is likely you will receive a custodial sentence," she told Ferguson who will be sentenced on October 21.
– NZPa