NASA says all seven crew members of the American spacecraft Columbia have died after the spacecraft disintegrated over Texas

NASA says all seven crew members of the American spacecraft Columbia have died after the spacecraft disintegrated over Texas. The spacecraft broke apart moments before it was scheduled to land in Florida. Sean O'Keefe, the head of NASA, stated that today is a tragic day for the organization, for the astronauts' families, and for the people of America. He promised to do everything possible to determine the cause of the disaster. He mentioned that there is no indication that the disaster was caused by defects on the ground. The American spacecraft Columbia broke apart over Texas just minutes before it was supposed to land in Florida, and it is feared that all seven astronauts on board have perished. A senior American official briefly addressed reporters with the statement, "The Columbia spacecraft is lost." NASA has lowered its flags to half-mast at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and officials are expected to hold a press conference to announce details of the disaster. Fragments of the spacecraft have been found over a wide area in central Texas, and some of these pieces may have even spread into neighboring states. After declaring a state of emergency, which occurred immediately after losing contact with the spacecraft, NASA mobilized search and rescue teams. The spacecraft was preparing for landing with six American astronauts and one Israeli astronaut, who was on his first space mission, when contact with NASA was suddenly lost. Television images from northern Texas show several white streaks in the sky, indicating the disintegration of the spacecraft. American officials say there is no evidence of terrorist involvement. The Columbia spacecraft was 22 years old and was returning to Earth after a 16-day scientific mission.