The official figure for deaths in last week's plane crash in the Brazilian metropolis of Sao Paulo has risen to "at least 198," Brazilian airline TAM said Monday, according to DPA. According to the latest data, the Airbus A320 was carrying 187 people, all whom died, as did 11 people on the ground. TAM noted that the figures could still rise. Brazilian media said Monday that only 63 of the crash victims have been identified so far. Rescue operations at the scene of the accident in Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport ended Sunday. The airliner, which was arriving from Porto Alegre, overshot the runway in rainy weather, crossed a busy highway and struck a freight depot and petrol station, sparking a huge fire. The accident was the worst in the history of Brazilian aviation. The accident's cause remains unknown. The cockpit voice recorder was found Saturday and is to be sent to the United States for examination. The plane's flight recorder was found hours after the accident and has already been sent to the US National Transportation Safety Board. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has promised a thorough investigation, and the government plans to build a new airport in Sao Paulo.
