SAS plane had no chance (Dagbladet)

The SAS airliner had no chance of avoiding disaster when the German light aircraft appeared directly in its path in thick fog at Milan’s Linate Airport. 118 people, three of them Norwegians, were killed when the SAS plane, Lage Viking, ended its journey to Copenhagen before it had left the runway in Milan. Last night SAS flew relatives of the victims to Linate Airport from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Each family has been offered an initial USD 25,000 in immediate financial assistance.

SAS in mourning (Dagens Næringsliv)

SAS’s management was in mourning and the three Nordic flags were flying at half mast outside the company’s headquarters in Stockholm yesterday. "I cannot think about anything other than those who perished," said SAS’s chief executive Jørgen Lindegaard, obviously deeply moved. The accident in Milan is the worst in SAS’s over 50-year history. The tragedy comes on top of an already serious financial situation for the company. "I do not want to talk about money right now. We who are alive will get by, I’m quite sure of that," said Mr Lindegaard.

Norwegian radar could have prevented accident (Aftenposten)

In 1996 Milan Airport took delivery of a Norwegian ground radar system from Kongsberg Norcontrol Systems. A ground radar system of this type could have prevented the accident in Milan, but for reasons unknown the equipment has never been put into operation. The Italian pilots’ association is up in arms. Over the past two years they have repeatedly demanded the installation of new ground radar equipment at Linate Airport.

New government will use oil money to slash taxes (Aftenposten)

Direct and indirect taxes will be slashed by NOK 25 billion over the next four years, but there will be no dramatic cuts in any areas, promises Kjell Magne Bondevik, Norway’s incoming prime minister. The oil revenues will be used to make the new coalition government’s sums add up. Local government finances will be strengthened, as will the public transport sector. Nursery places for all will be available by 2003, and development aid will rise to a full one per cent of GDP by 2005. Large amounts will be channelled into research projects to develop emission-free gas-fired power stations, but the three power stations already in the pipeline will not be cancelled.

Much talk, few specifics (Nationen)

Prime ministerial candidate Kjell Magne Bondevik was clearly affected by the accident at Milan’s Linate Airport when he presented the new government’s political platform yesterday. The document is 50 pages long, and sweeps across the majority of political issues. But the reader will have to plough through much hot air before arriving at any specific political measures. This was not something Mr Bondevik emphasized in his introductory speech.

Labour accuses coalition of putting off difficult choices (Aftenposten)

"The three parties have not made a single difficult choice. They say yes to tax cuts and yes to increased expenditure," said Hill-Marta Solberg, leader of the Labour Party’s parliamentary group. She can hardly believe that the Conservatives’ Per-Kristian Foss, who is scheduled to take over as Finance Minister in a possible new coalition government, was present while the political document was being drawn up. "If I were in his shoes, I would not be sleeping at nights," said Ms Solberg.

Hagen demands payment (Dagsavisen)

Progress Party chairman Carl I. Hagen is demanding a written commitment from Kjell Magne Bondevik in return for making him prime minister. Mr Bondevik says he will accept the Progress Party’s demand for a binding agreement on a limited number of political issues. While these agreements could ensure the Progress Party’s help at the birth of the new Bondevik government, they may also give the party a stick with which to keep the coalition in line.

Norway strengthens ties to USA (Vårt Land)

The Government is planning to strengthen Norway’s already close ties to the USA. As one of its final foreign policy moves, the Labour government yesterday presented a brand-new strategy for Norway’s relations with the USA. Its relevance could hardly have been greater. The strategy was presented less than 24 hours after the start of US-led air strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan.

Worth Noting

1. Only hours after the tragic accident at Linate Airport in Milan, the Italian authorities concluded as follows: "The accident was due to human error, and the German pilot of the Cessna light-aircraft was to blame." (Dagbladet)
2. It has never been safer to fly than right now. But people’s fear is not based on rational feelings, according to Kristian Erlandsen, deputy head of the Norwegian section of the SAS Pilots’ Association. The association has around 700 members. (Dagbladet)
3. The control tower cannot see the planes they are directing when there is thick fog, and must rely on the pilots doing what they are told. Gardermoen Airport is currently testing an alarm system to prevent collisions on the ground. (Dagsavisen)
4. The new Bondevik government will continue the Labour Party’s agricultural policy. Kirsten Værdal, leader of the Norwegian Farmers’ Union, is happy with the new government’s policy statement. (Nationen)
5. "Be patient, we cannot turn things round over night," said Per-Kristian Foss. He may become the country’s Finance Minister as early as next week. (Dagens Næringsliv)
6. The Progress Party’s parliamentary group will decide tomorrow whether the party will help the Conservatives, Christian Democrats and Liberals form a new government. Progress Party chairman Carl I. Hagen refused last night to give an opinion on the direction taken in the coalition’s political manifesto. (Dagens Næringsliv)
7. The Russian nuclear submarine, Kursk, is on its way to Murmansk. The submarine was freed from the muddy seabed at a depth of 108 metres and hoisted up under the salvage barge without incident. All that remains is the transport leg. The raising of the Kursk went completely to plan once it had got started the day before yesterday. (Aftenposten)
8. While officials clarify the security situation at the US Embassy in Oslo, the building will be closed to the public. Erik Holm-Olsen, assistant press officer, would not confirm that the Ambassador has been evacuated. (Aftenposten)
9. The banks which were due to rescue Kværner held a meeting on 13 September at which they were presented with figures showing that the budgets for area after area have not been met. A confidential report provides the background for the company’s acute financial crisis. (Dagens Næringsliv)

Today’s comment from Aftenposten

The extremely preliminary, but probably correct, explanation for the accident at Milan airport yesterday was simply this: "The little plane was somewhere other than it should have been". It was on a runway from which an SAS airliner was about to take off. A desperate pilot tried to avoid a collision, which sent the passenger plane out of control. Almost 120 people lost their lives, including the four in the little Cessna aircraft. Our reason tells us that we can never protect ourselves fully against accidents. Technical failure and human error happen, and they can only be minimized, not eliminated. The tragedy in Milan is no less appalling for that, and the painful impression it leaves is reinforced by the fact that it happened in a month in which the news bulletins were gloomy and disheartening enough already. The Scandinavian airline, SAS, had been spared any major accidents in recent years – until yesterday morning. This solid statistic deserves praise. But we all know that it is of absolutely no help for the families of the victims, or for those whose job is to help them in the days and months to come. Last night it looked as though the tragedy was due to a combination of fog, human error and the fact that a ground radar system which should have been installed was not in operation. By themselves none of these factors would not have cost the lives of more than 100 people – together they did.