CBS Pursues 3 Plans in Hunt for News Crew

CBS News has launched three separate efforts in the search for missing correspondent Bob Simon and his three-man crew, who disappeared somewhere near the Saudi-Kuwaiti border a week ago.

Simon’s abandoned car was found last Wednesday by Saudi troops. Left behind with the car were the keys, $6,000 in U.S. currency, some Saudi currency, a watch with Saddam Hussein’s face on it, some television equipment and a U.S. passport belonging to one of Simon’s crew.

CBS has no direct evidence that the news crew is in Iraqi hands other than tracks reportedly leading to the Kuwaiti border.

“Unfortunately, there are so many more unknowns than knowns about this, and that makes it very difficult to speculate on what has happened,” CBS spokesman Tom Goodman said.

CBS officials said the network has launched an appeal through diplomatic channels--including cables to Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev and Iraqi embassies worldwide--asking for help interceding with the government in Baghdad.

Also, CBS News Vice President Don DeCesare has flown to Saudi Arabia to work full time trying to find Simon and his crew. That effort will include trying to send a CBS News team to the scene near the border. CBS wants to interview the officials and the Bedouin trackers who reportedly found the footprints leading away from the car.

Finally, CBS is asking to get an official into Iraq. So far, the Iraqi government has not granted a visa.

If that effort fails, a team from Cable News Network that has been granted visas to Iraq has agreed to carry letters from CBS to Iraqi officials. In addition, CNN correspondent Peter Arnett in Baghdad has made inquiries on CBS’ behalf.