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Plane crash in New York, 255 dead

More than two months after the devastating terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon, an American passenger jet crashed in the Queens borough of New York.

There were two-hundred forty-six passengers and nine crewmembers on the plane. New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said there were "no survivors".

Rescuers had recovered 161 bodies from the crash site.

"We have recovered 161 bodies," Giuliani told reporters, and added that six persons were reported missing on ground

American Airlines 587, an Airbus A-300, had originated from Boston and was leaving the John F Kennedy International Airport for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The crash took place at approximately 0914 hrs.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said there was no "indication of a terrorist attack" but that "all options are open at this time".

"We're treating it as a flight accident. But that is subject to change as we learn more," William Schumann said.

The air traffic controllers lost radio contact with the plane some four minutes after it took off, he added.

An eyewitness said he saw the right wing of the plane on fire after takeoff from JFK. One engine fell separate from the rest of the plane.

Another told CNN that he was 40 blocks away and saw "tons and tons of smoke. Lots of people are standing in the streets. It's very tense".

The Empire State Building was vacated. The United Nations building, where the General Assembly annual debate was taking place, was immediately sealed off.

Departures were halted at JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports. Four other regional airports were also shut down.

Air force jets were patrolling the skies.

Giuliani rushed to the crash site and a Level I alert had been declared in the city. Forty-four fire trucks and 200 fire fighters were sent to the crash site.

President George W Bush met with advisers seeking details of the crash. He postponed a scheduled interview with Russian and American reporters so he could monitor the investigations.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned against speculation over the cause of the plane crash. "I don't think it is sensible, certainly for us on the basis of the information we have, to speculate any further," he said in London.

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