Recovery workers work through the night

Kleig lights - the kind of lights used at ground zero at the trade center - have been brought to the Rockaway Beach section of Queens so recovery workers could work into the night.

The American Airlines air bus A300 nose-dived into the borough of Queens less than 10 miles from John F Kennedy airport.

At least six and perhaps as many as eight people, all adults, were reported missing on the ground, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said.

Six houses were destroyed, and six others sustained serious damage in some cases, the siding was melted off the homes by intense heat.

It has emerged that there were 251 passengers on board - initially it was thought there were 246 - but five toddlers sat on their parents' knees on the flight.

Mr Giuliani said it was highly unlikely that there were any survivors.