1.
Mrs. Burdiat and French doctor walk across tarmac. (2 shots)
0.11

2.
SV Wounded man carried on stretcher.
0.35

3.
SV Wounded man carried through aircraft door.
0.50



Initials GD/VS 2.13 GD/VS 2.18



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The French steward of the Libyan airliner which was downed by Israeli fighters last month, left Tel on Monday (5 March) to return home to Paris. M. Jean-Pierre Burdiat was one of seven survivors of the 113 people on board the Libyan Boeing 727, which crashed in Israeli-occupied Sinai after being shot down by Israeli fighter aircraft.

M. Burdiat's condition was described as critical in the days before his return. But a French specialist, who had come to Israel to examine him, declared he was capable of making the flight. M. Burdiat was returned to Paris at the request of his wife who came to Israel to escort him home.

The steward is the first of the survivors to leave. Two others, a Libyan mechanic and an Egyptian waiter, were expected to leave this week. The Libyan co-polit of the aircraft, a young Jordanian and two other Libyans were still undergoing intensive treatment.

At Lod airport on Monday, the French steward arrived by helicopter from hospital and was transferred to the waiting aircraft by an airport catering vehicle.