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Astronauts' remains being studiedRecovery teams scouring 'huge debris field'
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Texas (CNN) -- The first remains of crew members of the space shuttle Columbia have arrived at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for analysis, officials said Sunday night. The search for debris across Texas and Louisiana had located the remains of some of the astronauts, NASA said. Those are "still in the process of identification," said Bob Cabana, director of flight crew operations at Johnson Space Center. Searchers still combing for remains were treating their findings carefully, Cabana said. "We have astronauts in the field with them," he said. "We're treating those remains with the ultimate respect and care that they deserve." Israel Defense Forces is sending a military Rabbinate representative to Texas to assist in identifying the body parts of the Columbia crew, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. Israeli officials want to make sure that the remains of Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon are treated according to Jewish tradition and if found, they are returned to Israel for burial. The representative will apparently be a high-ranking officer who specializes in identifying casualties. Meanwhile, authorities in both states reported discoveries that appeared to be connected with the disaster the day before. In Sabine County, Texas, a woman said her young son found a scorched leg. At another site, firefighters and police paused to say a prayer before wrapping an object in a body bag and taking it away in a black hearse. In other areas, two charred helmets were found, as was a mission patch bearing the names of the crew members. The FBI also continued to investigate reports of the discovery of human remains Sunday. Recovery effort scours regionThe search for debris expanded, and shuttle fragments ranging from tiny pieces to one the size of a compact car were found strewn across what federal officials called "a huge debris field." (List of debris) Thirty-three Texas counties in an area greater than 28,000 square miles had reported finding debris, Gov. Rick Perry said. (Map) Investigators are worried that some pieces might never be found, a concern because the shuttle fragments might be toxic and because NASA wants as many pieces recovered as possible to help determine what caused the disaster. "We want to make sure that this evidence ... is preserved in such a way that NASA can come in afterward and find out what caused this tragedy," said Michael Brown, deputy director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is leading the search. Sunday evening, the Texas Department of Public Safety ordered all public and private schools in 93 counties in north, central and east Texas to inspect their campuses for shuttle debris before allowing students to attend classes Monday. People report to hospitalThe arc of the shuttle's destruction left a trail of debris, including alongside a highway, in a parking lot, on sidewalks and on residential front lawns. One piece, a 4-foot-wide cylinder, emitted a vapor. At least six chunks, including one about 5 feet long, landed on Ronnie Joe Evett's farm in Texas. One piece looked like tubing, he said. Another, with screws and bolts, was partly charred and punctured. Despite all the falling debris, no injuries were reported -- "a miracle," said Roy Blake, mayor of Nacogdoches, Texas. Authorities warned people not to touch debris, noting its potential hazards and the investigation. (Why debris might be toxic)
"The FBI has informed us that if you take that, that is federal property. They will pursue legal action and prosecute if necessary to get that back," said Sue Kennedy, Nacogdoches County emergency management chief. By 7:30 a.m. Sunday, at least 70 people had gone to emergency rooms in area hospitals, concerned they might have touched debris. None of the people showed any injuries, Kennedy said. Eight people -- all civilians who were not part of the salvage effort -- have been treated for burns and respiratory problems at San Augustine-area hospitals, said an emergency management coordinator for three east Texas cities. Airspace restrictedNacogdoches County authorities said falling debris had damaged buildings and vehicles. The county had reports of possible debris at more than 1,000 sites, but not all were confirmed, Sheriff Thomas Kerss said. An estimated 100 sites were being guarded Sunday because they were deemed to have "significant pieces of wreckage" or possible hazardous materials, he said. Most of the findings so far were in Nacogdoches city, the most heavily populated part of the county, he said. "We have a mass amount of forest and timberland," Kerss said. "Some of this area may not receive coverage for weeks or months." Perry said most of the debris seemed to be about 2 to 5 inches in size. In Louisiana, debris turned up near the Texas border, and three pieces had been confirmed as having come from the shuttle. Witnesses reported seeing lots of material fall into the Toledo Bend Reservoir, which forms part of the border between Texas and Louisiana. Officials said they were waiting for sonar equipment to arrive so they could search for the pieces underwater. Experts estimated Columbia broke up nearly 40 miles above Earth, meaning the debris might be scattered as far west as Arizona. The Federal Aviation Administration restricted air space from Cedar Creek, Texas, just south of Dallas, to Fort Polk, Louisiana -- a zone 160 miles long and 40 miles wide -- saying that would make it easier for officials to collect debris. Aircraft in the zone were barred from flying below 3,000 feet. -- CNN's Beth Lewandowski contributed to this report.
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