Third Victim of Asiana Airtlines Crash Dies, a Pediatric Patient

KQED’s Chase Thomas reports that a third victim of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash last Saturday has died at from San Francisco General Hospital. The only information the family of the victim authorized the hospital to release was that this was a pediatric patient.

San Francisco police reported earlier today that that one of two 16-year-old girls killed in the crash was struck by an emergency vehicle responding to the runway.

The girl, identified as Chinese student Ye Meng Yuan, was struck by a fire truck, San Francisco police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.

Esparza said police have evidence that the area near where the Boeing 777 plane came to rest was covered in suppressant foam used after a fire broke out. The girl was underneath the foam and tire marks indicate the truck drove over where she was situated.

"Without a doubt a fire truck went over the victim," Esparza said.

The San Mateo County coroner's bureau has yet to officially determine the girl's cause of death. A timeline for the coroner's report has not been released.

San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said the department is still conducting its own internal investigation, but acknowledged that police have confirmed that a fire truck ran over the girl. Talmadge said fire officials are waiting for the coroner's report before releasing any details about the case.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said Thursday he was concerned about the possibility that Yuan was struck by a fire truck at the crash site.

"I'd be the first to say that we'd be very sorry if that happened," Lee said. "I hope and wish it did not happen, but in those chaotic times, I knew that everybody was trying to save lives and prevent injuries from happening, so we'll probably have to place that in that context," he said.

Meanwhile, airport officials are aiming to reopen Runway 28L, which is where the plane crashed, as soon as Saturday, an airport spokesman said. SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said there were 45-minute delays and about 50 flights in and out of the airport that had been canceled.

He advised passengers to check in with their airlines before heading to the airport.