China airlines plane crash investigation underway

Source: CCTV.com | 08-22-2007 09:03

The black box and flight log have been recovered from the charred shell of a Taiwan jet in southern Japan. Police and aviation officials have begun a detailed examination of what led to Monday's airplane explosion.

Japanese aviation authorities and local police conducted an initial check of the wreckage on Tuesday but reached no conclusion over what caused the fire.

Airplane maker Boeing and the US government have dispatched experts to help with the investigation.

A team of Japanese, Taiwan and US experts are set to start a joint inspection of the plane on Wednesday.

Authorities are also investigating whether any loose plane parts or objects could have been sucked into the engine, damaging the fuel pipe.

Taiwan's Civil Aviation Authority says the plane had suffered problems with a sensor connected to one of its wings earlier this month.

The authority says the problem recurred the next day but was unrelated to Monday's explosion.

Aviation officials from Taiwan and the president of China Airlines have arrived in Naha on the island of Okinawa and visited the passengers.

The eight-member crew were authorized to leave after investigation and have already returned to Taiwan.

Editor:Du Xiaodan