Several hours ago, Chron.com and other news organizations reported that “dynamite residue” was found on baggage on a flight that arrived at Intercontinental airport. References to “dynamite residue” in those early versions of the story can be found via Google News searching, but they won’t be found in the current version of the story posted on Chron.com (even if one follows the Google News link), which just changed without any indication that the earlier version of the story was either in error or was being supplemented by new information.
The current version of the story on Chron.com now indicates that half a stick of dynamite was found in the bag, and the earlier references to “dynamite residue” (not to mention a statement by the owner of the bag that he works in mining, with explosives) are excised.
It’s understandable that when a story is evolving, new facts will sometimes emerge, and news organizations need to roll out those facts in new stories. It’s nice, though, when news organizations offer some explanation when they update reporting with newer, better information. Chron.com has had the annoying habit of not doing so for a long time.
As of the time of this post, the early version of the AP story may still be found on the New York Sun website.
Making things even more interesting, KHOU-11 is currently reporting that a fertilizer-based explosive was also found in the luggage!
Maybe all the editors and fact-checkers will get it straight by the morning — and then Chron.com can paste over the old stories with the latest versions.
UPDATE: KTRK-13 has the following headline and information:
Bomb-making items found on Continental jet
(8/25/06 – HOUSTON) – Eyewitness News has learned that a passenger on board a Continental Airlines flight from Argentina was carrying more than just half a stick of dynamite as first reported this morning.
We first broke exclusive information on this story around 3pm when we learned what else was on board.
The passenger, identified as Howard McFarland Fish, 21, is a U.S. Citizen from Connecticut. Law enforcement sources at the airport say not only did they find a quarter-pound stick of dynamite in the checked luggage, but in other checked luggage belonging to Fish, they also found a blasting cap, a homemade fuse, and a quarter-pound of ammonium nitrate.
Note that KTRK provides new information, makes the point that these materials constitute a potential bomb, not just dynamite or residue, AND points out how the new information supersedes earlier reporting. THAT is the way to do it.
