PRESIDENT OF EVANGELICAL GROUP DISCUSSES KILLING OF MISSIONARY OVER PERU

COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Investigators in Peru are sorting out
details in the crash of a U.S. missionary plane. The plane was mistaken
for a drug trafficker's and was shot down Friday by the Peruvian air force,
killing an American missionary and her daughter. The military was working
with information from a CIA surveillance plane. Veronica Bowers and her
seven-month-old daughter died in that incident.

She and her husband were working for the Association of Baptists for World
Evangelism.

The group's president is Michael Loftis. He joins us now from Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, to talk more about this.

Mr. Loftis, thanks for being here.

I know that the Peruvian government has said that the crew did not have a
flight plan and that there was no way it could identify this plane as part
of your organization. We know now there was a flight plan. In fact, CNN's
David Ensor held up a copy of that flight plan just a few minutes ago, on
our air, a copy that he'd obtained. But maybe you can explain whether or
not the crew had any contact with any tower, and whether or not that plane
was marked in any way.

MICHAEL LOFTIS, ASSOCIATION OF BAPTISTS FOR WORLD EVANGELISM: Yes, the
plane was clearly marked with serial numbers. It had recently been
repainted, Colleen, and the pilot was, as we understand it -- we've
debriefed him since his return from Peru -- in contact with the tower in
Iquitos. In fact, he was in contact with the tower at the time the
shooting began.

MCEDWARDS: How did the pilot describe the shooting? What did he tell you
happened?

LOFTIS: He was in contact with Iquitos, and they were discussing his
landing slot, according to his previously filed flight plan, when these air
force planes came around. They circled the plane once and then began
firing. There was never an opportunity for him to follow their wiggling
wings or any of those things.

And he was, from the very first moment of the shooting, doing his best to
save the lives of his passengers. That plane was used at times as an air
ambulance, and though it was not able to complete this flight, we're very
grateful to God, this morning, that our pilot, Kevin, was able to use it
one last time to save some more lives.

MCEDWARDS: And what are your pilots and your personnel told to do to
prevent this kind of thing from happening?

LOFTIS: Of course, our pilots are very well trained and certified, and they
follow very clearly laid-out procedures. And Kevin did that in this case,
and we're very satisfied that he followed a standard operating procedure.

He was not flying in an unknown area. He had flown this route many times
with this plane, and it was a very familiar and routine flying route.

MCEDWARDS: What, if anything, do you plan to do? Does your organization
plan to take any action, at this point?

LOFTIS: We're still awaiting final reports from both our governments. Their
investigations continue. They have yet to be able to interview the
pilot. He underwent surgery last night, and we're still awaiting those
reports today.

MCEDWARDS: The United States, according to David Ensor this morning, is now
saying that it asked the Peruvians to be careful, not to move too quickly,
not to shoot at this plane before it was absolutely sure, and I'd like to
get your reaction to that.

LOFTIS: We have no direct knowledge of all the communications that took
place between that plane and the Peruvians'. We're very grateful, if that
took place, that there was that attempt.

And we're very sorry for the tragic mistake that was made at this time.

We also feel that there's another aspect of this story that needs to be
told: that our pilot and our missionary Jim Bowers, who lost his wife,
would like people to know that they're very grateful for the Peruvian
people along the riverbanks who came out in canoes to save their lives from
that sinking plane.

MCEDWARDS: And Mr. Loftis, what would you like people to know about
Veronica Bowers and her daughter Charity?

LOFTIS: We have a statement this morning from her husband, Jim. He and his
son Cory would like to thank all of those who have prayed for them, and
above all, today, they want to be sure that we honor God and honor Ronnie's
work, ministry, and the sacrifice she made for the God she served and for
the people in Peru, whom she loved very much.

MCEDWARDS: All right, Michael Loftis, thanks very much for your time this
morning. We appreciate it.