Debriefed crew to reunite with families for Easter
By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer
Following two solid days of questioning at Pearl Harbor, crew members of a Navy spy plane detained by China are scheduled to depart early this morning to reunite with their families at their home base in Washington state.
Associated Press
As they leave, three of the 24 crew members — including pilot and mission commander Lt. Shane Osborn — are expected to speak publicly for the first time about their EP-3E surveillance aircraft's April 1 collision with one of two Chinese jet fighters that intercepted it over the South China Sea.
This undated photograph shows a Chinese fighter pilot maneuvering his jet alongside a U.S. surveillance plane during a mission over the South China Sea. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld yesterday cited the aggressiveness of Chinese planes on U.S. missions.
Osborn, 26, guided the stricken U.S. plane to an emergency landing on China's Hainan island, where he and the others were met by soldiers and held for 11 days.
"The plan was originally for them to be debriefed for three days, but we've compressed it into two to get them home by Easter," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Conrad Chun said yesterday.
All crew members were found to be in good health, and they are scheduled to depart Hickam Air Force Base at 7:30 a.m. on board a Navy C-9 transport plane, said Chun.
"They're doing great, and they're looking forward to going home and spending time with their families for Easter," he said.
Between marathon sessions at Pearl Harbor with military intelligence experts, the 21 men and three women have chatted with loved ones via telephone and e-mail, and read piles of news clippings about their ordeal. And they've slept in comfortable private rooms on American soil.
"These are some very smart and articulate people, but very tired people," said Air Force Maj. Marcella Adams. "From just doing their jobs every day to being exalted to hero status has been extremely overwhelming."
Dozens of U.S. military and civilian officials have sifted through details of the incident with the American aviators to learn more about what occurred and what information Chinese authorities sought.
The crew may be questioned further after Easter if analysts decide that is warranted, Chun said. "They'll gather up the information and take a close look at it and determine whether there will be additional questions," he said.
The crew was treated to a special Good Friday dinner of grilled steak and mahi mahi with plenty of trimmings. Thousands of well-wishers are expected to attend a huge ceremony planned to welcome them home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., this afternoon.
