Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 03 January 2004 2050 hrs
Egypt rules out explosion as cause of plane crash, blames technical failure
CAIRO : The Egyptian civil aviation ministry said a "technical failure" appears to have caused a plane with 148 people aboard to crash into the Red Sea on Saturday, ruling out an explosion.
"There was no explosion aboard the plane before it crashed into the sea," ministry engineer Faisal al-Shennawi told AFP.
"The first results of the investigation indicate the crash was caused by a technical failure," he said, adding that the ministry would soon publish a statement about the incident.
The plane was carrying 135 French tourists and 13 Egyptian crew members when it crashed shortly after take-off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, according to the airline.
Civil Aviation Minister Ahmed Shafik was headed to the crash site with senior aides and technical experts to continue the investigation, another ministry official said.
"The control towers of Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh airports received no distress call from the pilot before the crash," a Cairo airport official said.
Debris was found around seven kilometres south of the airport at Sharm el-Sheikh, he added.
Flash Airlines, the company that operated the plane, said it will arrange for a special flight to Sharm el-Sheikh carrying relatives of the Egyptians who died as well as aviation and technical officials.
The Boeing 737-300 jet was one of two operated by Egyptian charter carrier Flash Airlines, both manufactured in 1993, according to the company's website.
The airline was [founded] six years ago by Egyptian and Italian businessmen, a company official said. - AFP
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