Crash inquiry completed

Crash inquiry completed

SINGAPORE (AFP): Indonesian authorities have completed their
investigation into the 1997 crash of a SilkAir jet, which claimed
104 lives, and the full report may be released by the end of the
year, officials here said Saturday.

The crash of the Boeing 737, which plunged into a river in the
Indonesian city of Palembang while en route from Jakarta to
Singapore, has already been classified by police as a possible
murder-suicide.

The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has
forwarded a draft of its investigation to Singapore authorities
and the Boeing company who have 60 days to comment before a
decision is made on releasing the final report.

In Singapore, copies of the confidential draft have been given
to SilkAir, the police and the Civil Aviation Authority, the
communications and information technology ministry said in a
statement.

The families of the crash victims have been informed the draft
report is ready but will not be given access to it.