Local prosecutors have rejected requests from the pilots of Singapore Airlines flight SQ006 to leave Taiwan, saying they cannot risk anyone involved in the case fleeing further investigation.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (
The doomed Boeing 747 exploded after crashing into construction equipment on the stormy night of Oct. 31. Eighty-two of the 179 people on board the flight were killed.
Prosecutors have said that the three pilots might face criminal charges, possibly involuntary manslaughter due to professional negligence. Captain of the flight Foong Chee Kong, a Malaysian, and his Singaporean co-pilots Latiff Cyrano and Ng Kheng Leng, have been barred from leaving Taiwan since Nov. 1 by prosecutors.
Local prosecutors have summoned the flight deck crew three times and the latter have made requests through their attorneys at each meeting with prosecutors for the removal of the restrictions on their leaving the country.
But their requests have been rejected and prosecutors have not decided when to lift the restraint.
"We cannot do so until we're absolutely sure that there is no potential risk that the suspects would evade our investigations after leaving the country," said Huang Mou-shang (黃謀信), the prosecutor leading the criminal investigation.
Huang said prosecutors, however, might make a decision on the criminal liability of people involved in the crash in three months' time, a possible eight months before the final report of the Aviation Safety Council (飛安會) is wrapped up.
Yong Kay (戎凱), managing director of the council, which is carrying out a full investigation by aviation safety experts, said hasty action by prosecutors might be challenged as unreliable. He said the council's investigation report cannot be given to the prosecutors for use in judicial proceedings, according to civil aviation regulations.
"As most aviation safety specialists are convinced that bringing criminal charges against pilots is against international practice which is intended to ensure easy access to pilots' reports of accidents in order to improve aviation safety, prosecutors might be facing difficulties obtaining professional advice to assist them in their investigation," he said.
Yong also said future investigations of air traffic accidents in Taiwan involving foreign pilots might be hampered, as local prosecutors have set a precedent for judicial interference in the investigation, for instance, by insisting on barring the three from leaving.
The threat of criminal charges, aviation safety experts said, might prevent air crews from telling the truth about the accident.
He also said that if there wa no threat of criminal charges, air accident investigators would not have to worry about whether foreign air crews involved in an accident might attempt to flee or otherwise be uncooperative.
Meanwhile, airport facilities at CKS airport have been modified to prevent pilots from trying to taking off on runway 05R, part of which is under repair. Most of the signs that indicate it is a takeoff runway have been removed. Part of the runway, however, currently serves as a taxiway.
Other signs that emphasize the runway is to be used only as a taxiway have also installed.
The white-dotted center line of runway 05R and the large white markings identifying the runway at both ends have been removed. All so-called "edge lights" as well as some center lights at the end of that runway have also been disconnected so that pilots won't believe that 05R is a takeoff runway.
The center line of the runway has been replaced by a narrower, yellow one -- the standard indication for a taxiway. The closure of five taxiways linking runway 05L via runway 05R to taxiway NP which links the runway to the terminal building is also indicated by large white cross signs placed on the tarmac.
More modifications to help pilots identify runway 05R as a taxiway are under way, said a member of the aeronautics administration.
Sources also said that the administration is considering advancing the installation of ground radar at CKS airport, originally scheduled for fiscal year 2002.
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