February 5, 2000
Web posted at: 8:38 p.m. EST (0138 GMT)

In this story: More human remains brought up Other services planned Saturday Sound of metal breaking RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

MALIBU, California (CNN) -- Hundreds of mourners remembered the 88 victims of Alaska Airlines flight 261, while at the Pacific site of Monday's crash, investigators brought up more human remains and continued mapping the wreckage of the plane on the ocean floor.

PASSENGER AND CREW LIST Names of those aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 261     INTERACTIVE RESOURCES Timeline of recent crashes The MD-83 Stabilizer Image gallery: The crash of Flight 261 Flight 261 background Facts about Alaska Airlines     AUDIO John Hammerschmidt of the NTSB goes over the 'troubleshooting' stabilizer discussion between Flight 261's pilots and a mechanic in Seattle 525K/49 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    VIDEO CNN's Gary Tuchman reports on the Alaska Airlines crash probe and talks to a commercial airline pilot who has flown the same type of jet as Flight 261. (February 5) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD Alaska Airlines crash     TRANSCRIPTS CNN Correspondent Charles Feldman Brendan Murphy, former US Navy Diver CNN Correspondent Carl Rochelle Burden of Proof Transcript: Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Crash Investigation

Malibu's Pepperdine University was the site of Saturday's memorial, where speakers included California Gov. Gray Davis and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater. Slater read a letter from President Clinton.

"While there are no words that can ease the pain of your devastating loss," Slater read, "we hope that you can draw strength and comfort in the knowledge that all Americans share your grief."

A representative of Alaska Airlines and six members of the clergy representing various faiths also offered words of comfort.

Eighty-eight candles were lit, one for each victim of Monday's disaster. Eighty-eight doves were released at the end of the ceremony.

The oceanside site of the service was about 35 miles south of where the plane crashed into the Pacific, killing everyone on board.

Flowers were gathered at the service, then dropped over the crash site on Sunday by the Coast Guard.

Saturday's memorial followed individual memorial services for victims earlier in the day. Two other gatherings occurred in Riverside, California, and Portland, Oregon.

More human remains brought up

The Navy recovered additional human remains Saturday from the crash site , according to a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board who declined to elaborate.

The Coast Guard reduced its so-called safety zone around the crash site Saturday from a five mile radius to a two mile radius, said Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 1st class Frank Dunn.

The Coast Guard's main role, Dunn said, is to reroute ships and recreational boats from the crash site, which is in a shipping lane.

The Coast Guard has three cutters on scene, the USCG Steadfast, Conifer and Point Carrew. About 110 members of the service are on the scene, he said, with another 15 to 20 people working in supportive roles.

Other services planned Saturday

The service in Riverside, California, was to be held at the same time in Harvest Christian Fellowship for family and friends of the flight's pilots and crew.

The Portland, Oregon, service, also to be held at the same time, was to take place at the Airport Sheraton Hotel. It is for friends and family of the plane's pilots and crew members only.

After analyzing the jet's cockpit voice recorder, retrieved from the ocean floor on Wednesday, investigators believe two loud noises apparently heard in the final minutes of the flight could help explain why the MD-83 plunged into the ocean.

Sound of metal breaking

According to investigators at the NTSB labs in Washington, a flight attendant is heard telling the pilots about the first noise, which seemed to come from the rear of the aircraft, where the plane's stabilizers are located.

"The crew acknowledged that they had heard it too," John Hammerschmidt of the NTSB said on Friday.

Then, about a minute before the end of the recording, another noise can be heard.

"The airplane appears to go out of control. No stall warning was heard during this event," said Hammerschmidt.

The pilots had already alerted mechanics on the ground to a problem with the tail-section stabilizer, asking for their help or advice.

Hammerschmidt refused to comment on the significance of the noise, saying more analysis is needed.

Sources close to the investigation said there is no reason to suspect the noise was a bomb or anything attributable to criminal activity. They described it to CNN as closer to the sound of metal breaking.

Correspondents Carl Rochelle and Jim Hill contributed to this report.

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.