The following words are from German news articles and websites that comment on the tragic death of Melanie Thornton.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Pop star Thornton among the victims of the aircraft crash 25,11,2001 19:45

 

Zurich (dpa) - the crash of a passenger plane in the proximity of the airport Zurich Kloten tore 24 people into death, also among them the Pop singer Melanie Thornton on Saturday evening. The police confirmed it on Sunday, after further bodies had been saved. Nine people survived the misfortune, of it two crew members. The crash occurred with snow rains and could be to due to view lacking. The airplane was started in Berlin Tegel, 13 of 33 people on board came according to the passenger list from Germany. Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (SPD) expressed the victims his sympathy.

 

Beside Melanie Thornton was also the German/Netherlands Pop Trio "Passion Fruit" on board. Two of the singers are dead, only Debby Marteen survived, announced the private station RTL. The group ("The Rigga-Ding-Dong Song") had arisen just like the Thornton living in the USA ("Love How You Love Me") on Saturday in the context of the "Coca Cola Weihnachtstour 2001" in Leipzig. In the coming weeks further Live Shows and television appearances were planned.

 

Some the victims burned in the airplane of the type, broken apart, "Jumbolino". Others had been ejected and under wreck parts were buried. The crash area, in which pieces of rubble, bodies and body parts lay, had the size of a football field. It lay approximately two kilometers before the landing runway.

 

The cause of the misfortune remained first unclear. According to data of the authorities it is however already certain that the machine got easily off the intended air lane and flew too low. Possibly it touched the treetops. In the crash place it should actually still another height of over 300 meters. Experts mutmassten that local snow showers provided for poor view visibility. The flight captain was considered however as very experienced.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The singer Melanie Thornton ("Heartbeat") arises in the afternoon 28 of August 2001 in the context of the "Pop open air" on the international radio exhibition (IFA) in Berlin. The US Popstar was on board the passenger plane fallen in Zurich.

Tom Maelsa (central picture)

 

The machine with the flight number LX 3597 was started against 21.00 o'clock in Berlin and should be one hour later about in Zurich. Up to the abort of the connection with radio traffic to the machine completely was normal, it was said. Data loggers and the Flight Recorder were found and are evaluated.

 

From the 33 airplane passengers came 13 from Germany, ever one from Austria, Canada, Ghana, Sweden and Spain, two from the Netherlands, ten from Switzerland as well as three from Israel, among them according to CROSS air of the vice-mayors from Jerusalem. In the cockpit of the misfortune machine two Swiss pilots with large experience sat. For both the flight had been Zurich Berlin and back the only employment on Saturday.

 

The misfortunate machine should have landed on an approach route, which is only used regularly in each case because of a new convention between Switzerland and Germany for few weeks between 22.00 and 6.00 o'clock. Thus aircraft noise is to be reduced by the airport Zurich over the German border region. The approach on this runway is approach of non-precision so mentioned. The indicator in the cockpit indicates only lateral deviations, the pilots must the height hold. This runway 28 as west route is provisionally closed now according to data of the airport Zurich. It does not have a complete instrument landing system.

 

The second crash of a CROSS air machine within two years meets the airline in the sensitive structure to the national airline, which is promoted with billions at tax funds. To fear are now again sinking passenger numbers, it were said. It was according to CROSS air data the first crash of a machine of the type "Jumbolino". The had an accident Avro RJ 100-Regional Flight has 97 seats and comes from the year 1996. The machine had completed 13,000 flying hours. The type of aircraft is considered as reliable and also in difficult situations as well controllable.

 

(InterNet: Homepage CROSS air with current information: http://www.crossair.com)

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Media release November 25, 2001

 

Crossair aircraft crashes near Zurich

 

Latest update, Sunday, November 25, 12:30

 

A Crossair Avro RJ100 Jumbolino crashed on approach to Zurich Airport yesterday, Saturday, November 24, shortly after 22:00 local time (21:00 UTC). The aircraft was operating flight LX 3597, which had taken off from Berlin (Tegel) at 21:01 local time, and had been due to land in Zurich at 22:15 local time. The aircraft crashed in a wooded area near Nürensdorf/Birchwil, near the town of Bassersdorf. There were 33 persons on board, 28 passengers and five crew. The crew were all Swiss nationals, and the captain had many years of experience as a Crossair pilot. The crew had only worked a single rotation on the day, from Zurich to Berlin and back.

 

According to information from the Zurich Cantonal Police, ten of the occupants died in the crash and a further nine were injured. The fate of the remaining 14 occupants remains unclear. The Cantonal Police have completed their search-and-rescue operation, and the site is now being examined by the investigating authorities. The passengers on board were from Israel, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

 

The Avro RJ100 Jumbolino involved was owned by Crossair and had accumulated 13 193 flight hours by November 24. It was manufactured in 1996, and had had its latest technical inspection on November 16, 2001.

 

"We are shocked and deeply saddened to suffer another accident," said André Dosé, CEO of Crossair. The company extends its deepest condolences to the families of those involved. This is the second accident the company has suffered in its 25-year history.

 

Any customers who wish to cancel their flight bookings in view of these events will be able to do so free of charge.

 

Hotlines have been established for the families of those on board:

 

 

in Zurich: 0800 707 507

 

in Basel +41 61 325 7120

 

from outside Switzerland: +41 1 543 6767.

 

Crossair Corporate Communications

P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel

Phone +41 61 325 4550

Fax +41 61 325 3554

E-mail: communications@crossair.ch

 

 

 

25.11.2001   Bild.de News 

 Aircraft crash in Zurich: 24 victims, a cause unclearly

Popstar Melanie Thornton flew from the concert to death  

   

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

  

 The airplane drama in Zurich.

 

Hope for still more survivor - is gone. The aids stopped their work today on the late afternoon. All passengers are identified. Balance: 24 dead ones, nine hurt, of it two heavily.

 

 

Popstar Melanie Thornton (34)  

Under the victims: Pop singer Melanie Thornton (34, largest hit: "I love how you love me").

 

The American celebrated successes also with the group La Bouche ("Sweet Dreams"). Melanie Thornton had briefly before the misfortune had an appearance with the Coca Cola Christmas Tour in Leipzig. On Monday the new edition of its debut album "ready to should come fly" to fly (ready) into the disk shops...

 

The crash cause - still unclear. The airplane of the type "Jumbolino", flight number LX 3597, was started on Saturday at 21 o'clock in Berlin Tegel. It fell, broke scarcely two miles before the runway Zurich Kloten into a small forest and caught fire.

 

It is certain already now that the machine flew too deeply. Possibly it touched the treetops with a wing. In the crash place it should still another height of 300 meters. At the crash time after 22 o'clock prevailed to snow rains with according to poor visibility briefly.

 

The instrumentenanflug took place on a route, which is only since short in enterprise. As CROSS air communicated, the airplane had not been on accurate course. The pilot is considered, however, as very experienced.

 

According to data of the airline the four-engined machine of the type Rj-100 broke in the case of the impact into two parts. Cockpit and tail of the wreck remained to some extent intact. The center section, however, was totally destroyed. It is world-wide the first accident with an airplane of this type. A terrorist attack is excluded.

 

On board 28 passengers from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland and Israel were - under it also the deputy mayor von Jerusalem. In addition: Five crew members.

 

The flight recorder from the cockpit and flight writer were meanwhile found. They are brought to Paris and evaluated there. On first results the authorities do not count before Monday.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

24 People Died

CROSS air crash tears Pop star Melanie Thornton into death

 

 

Hamburg - Pop star Melanie Thornton lived its dream - nevertheless only for short time. The life of the 34-year old on Saturday evening a tragic end took two days before the publication of the new edition of its first solo album "Ready to Fly" in Germany.

 

With the crash of a passenger plane of Swiss airline Crossair she died together with 23 other airplane passengers - she did not belong to the nine lucky ones, which survived the disaster.

 

The former singer of the successful 90's pop band La Bouche had made herself and looked straight solo ones a name with large expectations into the future, when everything was suddenly destroyed. Their fate reminds of the tragic death of the US Soul star Aaliyah, which left its life few weeks ago with an airplane misfortune. At the end of August the 22-jaehrige singer and actress with a  Cessna over the Bahamas had fallen.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Popstar Melanie Thornton is under the 24 dead ones of the CROSS air crash in Switzerland.

 

 

Melanie Thornton had already discovered her love for the music as a small girl in the US Federal State South Carolina. Whether in the Church choir or in numerous school musical: "a melody always went to me through the head. I wanted always to music and everything had with music to do ", she said recently in an interview.

 

But for their career as a Pop star it had to only pull to its sister to Germany, where successful producer Frank Farian became attentive to her. They formed in the middle of the 90's the Dance formation La Bouche. Together with Lane McCray, Thornton hits had like "Sweet Dreams" and "Be My Love" and sold world-wide more than ten million copies.

 

In the past year it then successfully started its solo career. Her single "Love How You Love Me" was promoted to the ear worm; their debut album created it at first attempt into the Top 20 the Charts.

 

On Saturday the black singer with the remarkably blond hair had arisen still in Leipzig. In the context of the "Coca Cola Christmas Tour 2001" it presented the Werbesong "Wonderful Dream (The Holidays Are Coming)", which comes just like the new edition of its debut of album on this Monday into the German disk shops. When it rose on Saturday evening in Berlin into the flier, it had still numerous Live Shows as well as television appearances before itself.

 

Nearly like a vorahnung now her words of Saturday sound, when them said RTL in an interview of the private station: "We do not know all whether we still experience tomorrow. Thus we should now live our dream ". This dream ended on Saturday evening briefly after 22.00 o'clock abruptly with the crash of flight LX 3597.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

American-Born Singer Melanie Thornton Dies in Crash

 

November 25, 2001 11:28 AM ET 

 

ZURICH (Reuters) - U.S.-born pop singer Melanie Thornton, on tour to publicize her solo album "Ready to Fly," died on Saturday night in a Swiss plane crash near Zurich, police said Sunday.

 

"It is true that Miss Thornton was on the passenger list. She is not among the survivors," Zurich police spokesman Karl Steiner told Reuters.

 

Nine people survived out of the 33 aboard the Crossair jet and police said 24 were presumed dead.

 

Melanie's latest single, "Wonderful Dream," is the song of a new Coca-Cola commercial and was due to be in stores starting Monday.

 

Thornton, born in May 1967 in South Carolina, was for many years the voice of the group La Bouche with whom she had worldwide sales successes with songs such as "Sweet Dreams," "Fallin' In Love" and "Be My Lover."

 

But their second album flopped and Thornton left the group in February 2000 for an independent career.

 

Although born in the United States, her singing career started in Germany under the auspices of Franc Farian, who has launched many pop bands. She had arrived with just $15 in her pockets to join her sister in Germany in 1992.

 

With her singing partner Lane McCray, she celebrated world-wide successes with La Bouche and they sold more than 10 million units and obtained gold and platinum awards in over 15 countries.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With the crash of the CROSS air machine LX 3597 Melanie Thornton died on Saturday evening in the proximity of Zurich.  The airplane coming from Berlin/Tegel fell briefly after 22.00 o'clock in the approach flight into a small forest.  Some passengers could save themselves from the burning airplane, to the majority of the passengers remained this chance refused, among them Melanie.  The artist was on graduation route for its new single "Wonderful Dream" and was on the way to an Live appearance in Zurich. 

 

With their Hymne "Love How You Love ME" celebrated Melanie Thornton at the beginning of the yearly European-wide sensational successes.  "Wonderful Dream" should become new high point of their solo career. 

"Melanies death is for us everything a shock.  We lost more than only a great artist.  The many years of co-operation made it a genuine friend.  We will always think our large respect with much love of it and also its artistic achievements will have always.  We will miss it much.  Our prayers & our thoughts are with Melanies family & friends." 

 

~George luck, acting partner of their disk company x-cell records