Voice of America, Feb. 1, 2003

The U.S. space shuttle Columbia has apparently disintegrated over Texas - minutes before it was due to land in Florida and the seven crew members are feared dead. The U.S. space agency NASA has lowered flags to half-staff at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is to hold a news conference shortly. Debris thought to be from the shuttle is being found on the ground in central Texas.

NASA declared an emergency after communication was lost with Columbia earlier Saturday, as it prepared to land with six American crew members and the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon. NASA mobilized search and rescue teams and television footage from north-central Texas showed multiple trails as the shuttle streaked across the sky, indicating that it had broken up. There is no word on what caused the break up. NASA officials are advising residents of Texas not to handle any debris from the 22-year-old shuttle. Texas residents say they heard a loud noise about the time the shuttle disappeared, shaking local homes. They say they saw flaming debris falling to earth.

Security was tight at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the expected landing to prevent any possible terrorist attack. However, U.S. officials say there is no indication terrorism was involved. Columbia was returning after a 16-day scientific mission. In more than four decades of U.S. human space flight, NASA has never lost an astronaut during the descent and landing of a spacecraft. In January 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after lift-off.

The Columbia crew had completed more than 80 experiments that focused on weightlessness, advanced technology development and the health and safety of astronauts. Columbia was NASA's oldest shuttle and first flew in 1981.

Television video of the shuttle re-entering the earth's atmosphere showed several white smoke trails, indicating the shuttle may have broken into pieces.

NASA mobilized search and rescue crews in Texas to search for any wreckage. There was no immediate word on what may have caused the breakup.

President Bush left his weekend retreat at Camp David outside Washington to meet with senior administration staff at the White House.

Security had been tighter than usual at the landing site because of the Israeli astronaut's presence. In Israel, people watched in shocked disbelief, as national television interrupted regular programming to carry images of the catastrophe. The flight was a source of national pride for Israel, because it was carrying an Israeli astronaut.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office issued a statement saying the government and people of Israel were praying for the safety of the astronauts on the shuttle, and awaiting further word on their fate.

At 22-years-old, Columbia is the oldest shuttle of the fleet. It was returning from a 16-day scientific mission, where astronauts carried out more than 80 experiments.

This is the second disaster involving a space shuttle. In 1986, a gas leak in one of the rockets caused the space shuttle Challenger to explode shortly after take off, killing all seven crew members on board.