111 confirmed dead in Benin plane crash

Rescue teams combed cold, dark waters off the West African nation of Benin today in a desperate search for survivors of a plane crash that killed at least 111 people.

Eleven of those who died in Christmas Day’s crash were dragged onto a beach from the wreckage just off Atlantic Ocean port city of Cotonou, Benin’s commercial capital.

Most of the casualties were Lebanese headed home for the holidays.

Transport Minister Ahmed Akobi said 20 people survived the accident.

With spotlights perched on the beach and torches in hand, divers and fishermen searched for survivors through the night, swimming through scattered pieces of luggage, clothes and gift-wrapped presents.

Tractors tied chains to parts of the Boeing 727’s wreckage, including an engine, in an effort to clear away the wreckage.

The bulk of the destroyed aircraft still lay in the water, 100 yards from the beach.

It was unclear exactly how many people were on board the chartered aircraft. Akobi said the plane’s manifest listed 156 passengers and an unknown number of crew.

Before dawn, about 50 Lebanese nationals gathered along the shore, crowding around bodies – pulled from the water one by one – to identify friends or relatives. Looters sifted through some of the debris, pocketing cell phones and cash.

“This is all too much for me to handle,” said one Lebanese man, Akim Toufik.

The death toll could rise as rescue work continued. .

There was no word on what caused the tragedy. Benin’s chief of army staff, Fernard Amoussou, said one of the plane’s two black boxes was found.

The Boeing lifted off on a sunny Thursday afternoon from the airport in Cotonou, and troubles began right away, said Jerome Dandjinou, a senior airport security official.

“The back of the plane hit a building at the end of the runway. There was a fire and an explosion was heard,” he said. “The plane exploded and the debris fell into the water.” The Atlantic Ocean is about 500 yards from the runway.

The flight originated in the Guinean capital, Conakry, and stopped in Freetown, Sierra Leone, picking up Lebanese along the way. It was bound for Beirut,

A Lebanese survivor, Nabil Hashem, said he was in the back of the plane and was able to swim to safety.

“Those in the front were the most hurt,” Hashem said. ”May God’s mercy fall on them. It was a horrible scene.”

Thousands of Lebanese immigrants work in West African countries.