Co-pilot innocent, No financial obligations on EgyptAir
Egypt-USA, Local, 3/25/2002

Egypt Air will object to the content and result of the American report on the crash of EgyptAir plane off the US coast in October 1999 that claimed the lives of 217 passengers and crew members.

The American report blamed the plane's co-pilot Gamil Battouti for the crash.

The Egyptian investigation committee expressed its full objection to the American report issued by the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB).

Shaker kilada, Head of the air safety sector who led the Egyptian team which participated in the investigations, told a press conference yesterday that there was a difference between the Egyptian and American reports.

Both reports will be referred to the American NTSB, and there will be further investigation.

The Egyptian report was formulated by Egyptian experts in collaboration with other circles, and it took 29 months since the crash to give the report its final form.

The report expounds over 225 pages all the studies, inspections, and analyses performed by the Egyptian team and including the Egyptian point of view.

The committee asserted that the Egyptian report is much stronger than the American report that didn't give any direct explanation to the crash, but stressed on some actions taken by the co-pilot.

This information was given at the press conference held yesterday with the presence of Captain Mohsen El-Messiri Head of Investigation Committee, Captain Shaker kilada, and Yosria Ragab, EgyptAir General Manager of publicity.

Captain Messiri asserted that the American report issued by the (NTSB) is not binding to Egypt Air, and we are entitled to accept or reject its content.

He added that investigations are still going on, and will continue unendingly until the real cause of the crash is disclosed.

Captin Messiri further said that negotiations are underway with the manufacturing company "Boeing" to complete some elements of the investigations in respect of the Egyptian viewpoint on the existence of some defects in the tail group, which EgyptAir believes is the real cause of the accident.

Captain Shaker kilada said that the American report asserted that there is no negligence from EgyptAir, which fulfilled all its obligations towards the victims.

Previous Stories:
  A statement on the crash of Egyptair flight 990 in, 1999   (3/23/2002)
  Egyptian pilots league rejects US report on EgyptAir plane crash   (3/23/2002)
  Egyptian panel to challenge US report on plane crash   (3/23/2002)

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