DATE=12/8/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EGYPTAIR SITREP (L/S)
NUMBER=2-256977
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  Six weeks after the crash of EgyptAir flight 
990 off the U-S coast, federal air safety 
investigators are still trying to find out what caused 
the disaster. The F-B-I  is continuing to look into 
whether the New York-to-Cairo flight was brought down 
by a criminal act.  Correspondent Nick Simeone brings 
us the latest in the on-going investigation into a 
tragedy that killed 217 people.


TEXT:  The F-B-I is moving ahead with its 
investigation of the EgyptAir crash, even though the 
probe still officially remains in the hands of the 
National Transportation Safety Board.    No cause has 
been ruled out and all leads are being pursued.  

A half dozen F-B-I agents have been in Cairo 
conducting interviews and going over the list of the 
plane's cargo. F-B-I Spokesman Joe Valiquette says 
they are investigating everyone associated with the 
October 31st flight.

            /// VALIQUETTE ACT ///

      Such things as identifying all airport personnel 
      and airline personnel who may have come in 
      contact with the plane, those people who service 
      the plane, fuel the plane, clean the plane, 
      change the movies on the plane, put food on the 
      plane, anybody who had access to the plane.
      
            /// END ACT ///

Law enforcement sources say it's just a matter of time 
before the F-B-I takes the lead in a criminal 
investigation, meaning the National Transportation 
Safety Board would be ruling out the possibility that 
the plane was brought down by mechanical failure.

            /// REST OPT FOR LONG ///

The Egyptian government remains critical of early 
speculation by some U-S officials that a suicidal 
relief pilot, alone in the cockpit at the time, may 
have deliberately crashed the plane for some unknown 
reason.  But Charles Weston, owner of Philadelphia's 
Carlson Wagonlit Travel, believes Egypt's tourism 
industry is likely to suffer more if the cause of the 
crash is ruled to be mechanical failure, not pilot 
sabotage.  

            /// WESTON ACT ///

      I think in that case, it would have a downward 
      effect on Egyptian tourism because people would 
      be a little bit afraid it might happen again.  
      If it was ruled to be pilot sabotage, in that 
      case I would certainly understand that as the 
      act of one deranged individual and not worry 
      about the long term. 

            /// END ACT ///

Meanwhile, salvage operations are underway in waters 
off the Massachusetts coast to try to recover human 
remains and as much of the plane as possible, as 
investigators hope for more clues into a crash that 
still remains a mystery.  (Signed)

NEB/NJS/TVM/gm



08-Dec-1999 16:49 PM EDT (08-Dec-1999 2149 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.