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.