The global pilots' federation yesterday called for the release of the three Singapore Airlines pilots held in Taiwan since the Oct. 31 crash of their Boeing 747-400.
The International Federation of Airline Pilots' Association said in a statement that the pilots should be allowed to return to their families, but could be asked to return by the Taiwan government.
The federation said they issued the statement after a meeting of three association technical committees in Singapore last week expressed concern for the welfare of their colleagues.
Holding the three pilots -- Malaysian captain Foong Chee Kong, and Singaporean co-pilots Latiff Cyrano and Ng Kheng Leng -- would serve no purpose in the ongoing investigations, they said.
"While the [association] understands that the government of Taiwan has an obligation to fully investigate this accident, they also believe that the continued detainment of the crew in Taiwan with the threat of prosecution does not serve to further the investigation," the statement said.
The three pilots "who have willingly assisted in the investigation should be allowed to leave Taiwan and return to their homes and families. After the conclusion of the investigation, they may return to Taiwan at the sole request of the government of Taiwan," the statement added.
The England-based association, which represents 120,000 pilots in 95 countries, declined to comment on the investigation led by Taiwanese aviation authorities.
Singapore Airlines' Los Angeles-bound flight SQ006 crashed after slamming into heavy construction machinery while trying to take off from the wrong runway at CKS airport, killing 82 of the 179 people onboard.
The three pilots have been barred from leaving Taiwan pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Taiwan prosecutors have hinted they would charge the pilots with causing death by negligence.
Meanwhile, relatives of at least six Singaporean victims of the crash will not be attending a memorial service in Taipei, a news report said. The anguish was still too fresh to bear to attend today's service in the Taoyuan Dome Stadium, they said.
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