EgyptAir relatives challenge the U.S.

Associated Press

CAIRO, Egypt — Relatives of the Egyptian pilot U.S. investigators believe deliberately crashed a Boeing 767 two years ago held a memorial ceremony Wednesday, and once again rejected American suspicions about the fate of EgyptAir Flight 990.

The passenger plane plunged into the Atlantic off Nantucket on Oct. 31, 1999, killing all 217 people on board, including 101 Americans. The final report on the causes of the crash is expected to be issued by U.S. and Egyptian officials by the end of this year.

Early in the investigation, U.S. officials suggested co-pilot Gameel El Batouty deliberately sent the plane down in a murder-suicide that has not been linked to political or other motives.

In a preliminary report released in April, the National Transportation Safety Board did not say what conclusions about the cause of the crash may have been reached. But U.S. officials said no evidence was found to indicate a mechanical problem downed the New York-Cairo flight, as EgyptAir maintains.

In June, former NTSB chairman James Hall said evidence gathered by investigators shows El Batouty was responsible for the crash.

Walid El Batouty, the co-pilot’s nephew and a spokesman for the families of the Egyptian victims, challenged the United States to offer proof that his uncle crashed the plane.

If Americans have any proof, "we want to see it," he said. "We hope that one day we will find out the truth."

State-owned EgyptAir acknowledged liability for the crash, agreeing to pay damages to families that are eligible to sue in U.S. courts. Eligibility is determined by a complicated set of circumstances, including where the passenger’s ticket was purchased. The airline did not accept full blame for the crash.

El Batouty said his uncle’s family received some compensation. EgyptAir officials have said they provided advance payments for victims’ families of as much as $40,000.

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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