DATE=2/5/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EGYPT/PILOT (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258852
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  Egypt says one of its pilots has sought asylum 
in Britain, claiming he has information about the 
crash of EgyptAir flight 990 off the east coast of the 
United States last October.  But Lisa Bryant reports 
from Cairo that Egyptian officials are saying the 
pilot has no special knowledge of the crash.

TEXT:  EgyptAir Chairman Mohammed Fahim Rayyan has 
denied that pilot Hamdi Hanafi Taha has any 
information relating to the EgyptAir crash that killed 
217 people.  In remarks carried by Egypt's official 
Middle East News Agency, Chairman Rayyan also 
confirmed that the pilot had claimed asylum in Britain 
before landing his craft in London on Friday.

A fax apparently sent by Captain Taha to a V-O-A 
correspondent on Friday said the captain was willing 
to meet representatives from (U-S) organizations when 
he arrived in London, at approximately 4:15 in the 
afternoon.  These included the National Transportation 
Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and 
the F-B-I (Federal Bureau of Investigations).

The fax said Captain Taha wanted to stop quote "all 
lies" about the EgyptAir crash.  It called Chairman 
Rayyan quote "the bloody killer" -- apparently in 
reference to the air disaster.

But MENA reported that Captain Taha was whisked away 
by British officials soon after he landed.  The news 
agency quoted Egyptian officials as saying that the 
pilot apparently had some administrative and financial 
problems with EgyptAir, but insisted that he was liked 
and respected by his colleagues.

Captain Taha reportedly made contact with British air 
traffic control during a regular flight to London on 
Friday.  EgyptAir Captain Mohammed Salama -- who 
piloted the plane back to Egypt -- said that Captain 
Taha's conversation with British officials apparently 
took place while other pilots were away from the 
cockpit.

Captain Taha was good friends with Captain Ahmed el 
Habashy, the pilot of Flight 990.  In an interview 
with V-O-A, Mariafe Habashy, the pilot's widow, said 
that after the crash Captain Taha visited her, and 
helped her with errands and taking care of her son.

In an earlier interview with V-O-A, Captain Taha also 
said he had been good friends with Gameel el Batouty, 
the copilot who apparently had control of the craft 
just before it plunged into the Atlantic.  But Captain 
Taha said he had not seen Mr. el Batouty in years.

Captain Taha had also discounted reports that Mr. el 
Batouty might have deliberately crashed Flight 990.  
But he contacted a reporter about a week ago saying he 
had information about the crash.  He did not follow up 
on this, however.

Captain Taha's wife told MENA that her husband had 
seemed distracted in recent weeks, but that she knew 
of no financial or other problems to justify his 
concern.  (Signed)

NEB/LB/ALW/JP




05-Feb-2000 08:20 AM EDT (05-Feb-2000 1320 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.