Mo. Governor Killed in Plane Crash

S T.  L O U I S, Oct. 17 -- Residents of Missouri are mourning the death of their governor, Mel Carnahan, after he and two others, including his son, were killed Monday night in a plane crash just outside St. Louis.

“Governor Carnahan always believed that public service was a noble calling,” Tony Wyche, the governor’s press secretary, told reporters this morning. “He was the greatest governor this state has ever had and we will miss him dearly.”

The governor, 66, his son Roger — who was known as Randy — and political strategist Chris Sifford, had been flying in rain and fog to a fund-raiser for his Senate campaign.

Carnahan was in a hotly contested race with incumbent Republican Sen. John Ashcroft. The two rivals had been trading increasingly personal barbs in recent weeks, but Ashcroft immediately suspended all campaign activity and advertising out of respect for the governor and his family.

“This is a compound tragedy,” the senator said in an interview with KYTV. “Obviously this is not a time for politics, this is a time for the state to come together.”

Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson will serve out the remainder of Carnahan’s term, until Jan. 8.

“Governor Carnahan was a great man, a respected man who did so many things for so many people,” Wilson said.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators arrived at the crash site this morning and are working to recover the remains of the people on board.

A Call From the President

President Clinton, meeting with Mideast leaders in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, called the governor’s wife, Jean Carnahan, to express condolences.

Presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore also offered words of sympathy for the Carnahan family.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragedy,” the vice president said in statement. “Mel was a good friend … [He] made a real difference and will be deeply missed by Tipper and me and the people of Missouri.”