OXNARD, California. Feb 1: An Alaska Airlines Jet carrying al least 70 people plummeted Into the Pacific Ocean after reporting mechanical problems. Several bodies were recovered from the chilly water, but there was no sign of survivors, reports AP.

Flight 261 was heading from Puerto Vallarta. Mexico, to San Francisco and later to Seattle. It had been diverted to Los An-fjeles to attempt an emergency anding. the Federal Aviation Administration said It crashed 40 miles (65 kilometres) northwest of the Los Angeles airport Monday.

A large field of debris rolled In big swells about eight miles (13 kilometres) offshore as aircraft and small boats convergec on the site Just before sunset. Hours later, the high-power lights of commercial squid boats Illuminated the darkness

as a cutter and small boats continued the search.

Several bodies were found. Coast Guard Lt Chuck Diorio said, but he could not give a specific number.

"Every resource Is out there to find people," said Coast Guard capt George Wright. Were actively searching for survivors."

Cynthia Emcry, Federal Aviation Administration flight operations officer in Seattle, said there were 65 passenger.s and five crew members on the flight. Alaska Airlines spokesman Jack Evans said there were 80 passengers and five crew members.

The plane was an MD-83. part of the MD-80 series aircraft built by McDonnell Dou-Slas. now part of Boeing, said ohn Thorn, a. spokesman for Boeing's Douglas aircraft unit. The plane that crashed had been delivered to Alaska Airlines In 1992. Thom said.

The Jet's crew had reported mechanical difficulties and asked to land at Los Angeles, said Ron Wilson, a spokesman for ihe San Francisco airport.

"Radar Indicates It fell from 17.000 feet (5.100 metres) and then was losl from radar." Wilson told television network KRON tn San Francisco.

The airline said the pilot reported having problems with the "stabiliser trim" shortly before Ihe plane crashed.

On Ihe MD-80 series airplanes, the horizontal stabiliser looks like a small wing mounted on top of the tall. The stabiliser, which Includes panels that pitch the nose up and down. Is brought Into balance, or trimmed.' from the cockpit.

II a plane lost Its horizontal stabiliser. It would have no means to keep the nose pointed

at the proper angle up or down, and (he plane would begin an uncontrollable dive.

A source with close knowledge of the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the flight was normal arid stable until the crew reported control problems. Radar showed the plane plunging toward the ocean snortly after-

Evans, the airline spokesman. said the aircraft had no previous stabiliser trim problems. He also said the plane was serviced on Sunday.

Alaska Airlines, which has a distinctive Image of an Eskimo painted on the tails of Its planes, has an excellent safety record. It serves more than 40 cities in Alaska. Canada. Mexico and five Western states.

The National Transportation Safety Board was assem-

bling a team of investigators in Washington DC. and planned to send them to the crash site, spokesman Pat Cariseo said. Gov Gray Davis said he had ordered the California National Guard to offer whatever help is needed.

The weather was clear at the crash site, where the water is about 750 feet (225 metres) deep, said Coast Guard Cmdr. Jim McPherson.

On Sunday, a Kenya Airways flight crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, shortly after take off from Abidjan. Ivory Coast. The Airbus 310 carried 10 crew members and 169 passengers. At least 10 people survived.