Egypt, US seek fresh start as crash probe intensifies

With the EgyptAir crash investigation entering its fourth week, Egyptian and US officials sought a fresh start after a storm over suggestions that a pilot deliberately crashed the plane

Transportation Minister Ibrahim alDumeiri said in remarks published yesterday that a high-ranking team from both side was "busy analyzing all data from the plane's two 'black boxes' to uncover the truth."

Dumeiri is set to deliver a report today to parliament's transportation committee about the October 31 crash of Flight 990. Meanwhile, Egypt's Economy Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali has ordered EgyptAir's insurers to compensate without delay the families of the 217 people aboard ill-fated Flight 990.

Ghali asked Egypt's state-run insurance company Misr Insurance to hand over the payments "as soon as families present their relatives' death certificates and proof of inheritance."

He ordered both life insurance and baggage insurance payments to be made. The Minister's directives were made during a meeting with EgyptAir Chairman Mohammed Fahim Rayan and senior officials from Misr Insurance and Egypt's insurance watchdog.

The head of EgyptAir's legal affairs, Rauf Mahgub, told AFP his department had not yet received notice of compensation for the plane, although he conceded that Rayan may have been informed directly.

By international agreement, EgyptAir should pay the family of each victim 133,000 dollars, regardless of the cause of the crash, but Mahgub said he could not confirm the sums of money involved.