18 replies to this topic

[Tobias Fünke]

http://www.freerepub...s/2067304/posts

Not confirmed.

via translation -

On board the plane crashed under the Bishkek could be two prominent basketball players NBA - гендиректор Federation basketball Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek. August 24. INTERFAX - on board crashed under Bishkekom Boeing-737 airplanes could stay two famous American basketball NBA, told journalists Director General Federation of basketball Kyrgyzstan Oleg Putilov.

"According to my information, players Samuel Perkins and Rebecca Bonner, who were in Bishkek and the town of Kant master classes, were to depart today from Bishkek in Iran - where they took place some competition. Until this all that I know. Ne I can dial up to the rest of his colleagues, "- O. Putilov told reporters.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy told reporters that "formal communication about this topic will be done the morning of 25 August."

[lyk13]

Hope that's not true, we wouldn't like to see ppl dead...>.<

[Sako32]

Sam Perkins, THE Sam Perkins from North Carolina, he played for the Lakers, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SaintNicholasVanExel]

NOOOOOOOOO.

[Varsity Optimism]

one of the first centers that really used the three as a big part of his arsenal.

[Equilibrium]

Damn, another plane crash?

[Michaelyumm]

so sad

[SaintNicholasVanExel]

Damn, another plane crash?

I was listening to KNX in the car today, and the top three stories were all plane crashes.
crazy.

[nameant]

Damn. Any clearer news on this?

[netlord]

A horrible week, this is the 4th plane crash this week.

That airline is banned in Europe.

[purple_and_gold_fever]

i hope this isnt true...

[LALakersFan4Life]

Big Smooth Apparently Safe

A few days ago, Jordi, who blogs at The Serious Tip, e-mailed me a fairly innocent link to a little item about former NBA player Sam Perkins visiting Kyrgyzstan.

Now there is dreadful news, of a 737 having crashed after leaving Kyrgystan, killing many onboard.

The reporting of the crash includes much talk of basketball players having been on that flight.

You can imagine what that made a lot of people think.

Reuters reporter Olga Dzyubenko has good news for fans of Sam Perkins, but terrible news for basketball and humanity generally. Apparently there was a teenage basketball team on the plane, and the majority of the players were killed.

Awful.

However, the implication from the embassy is that Perkins was apparently not on the flight -- which makes sense, as it was bound for Iran:

Members of a teenage basketball team were among the dead and officials said many of the victims were so badly burnt that DNA tests would be needed to identify them.

Only 25 of the estimated 90 people aboard the aircraft, survived -- 14 of them Kyrgyz nationals and 11 Iranians.

The U.S. embassy in Kazakhstan denied two U.S. basketball players, in Kyrgyzstan on a coaching trip, had taken the ill-fated flight. They in fact flew home from neighbouring Kazakhstan.

(Thanks to Tobias from BallinEurope.)

http://myespn.go.com...ently-Safe.html

[nameant]

Cool that Perkins is alright but in the end, lives were lost whether they were famous or not. How terrible. RIP to all those lost.

[lyk13]

Great to know...phew!!!

[phifedogg76]

good to know perkins made it but so sad for the rest of the non survivors

[Cookie]

RIP, teenage basketball team

[lyk13]

I updated the title of the thread.

Yeap, that's needed.

[gcclaker]

Good to know Perkins made it but so sad for the rest of the non survivors

Yes, that just about sums it up...