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Crashed F28 to remain at site until insurers complete check

STAFF CORRESPONDENT, Sylhet/Dhaka
State minister for civil aviation and tourism, probe committee members and insurance company officials yesterday visited the crash site of Biman's F28 aircraft beside Sylhet Osmani International Airport run-
way.
The aircraft, under armed police guard, still remains in the crash site. A Biman official said the plane cannot be removed until the insurance company concerned allows as the aircraft, after the accident, has now become a property of the com
Crashed F28
FROM PAGE 12 pany.
Biman has a $3 million insurance coverage for the F28 aircraft with UK-based Lloyds Aviation Insurance Company Ltd. State-run Sadharan Bima Cooperation (SBC) is the reinsurer of the insurance agreement.
Peter Tyrer, senior surveyor and adjuster of CTC, a member organisation of Lloyds, and Shanti Narayan Das, deputy manager of SBC, yesterday thoroughly inspected the ill-fated aircraft that skidded off runaway injuring 30 of the 83 passengers and crew on board Friday.
A Biman official said insurance officials will start analysing condition of the aircraft whose nose went four feet deep into a canal, causing serious damage to its cockpit.. The wings also got damaged but the fuselage of the plane is still in a relatively good condition, he said.
The Biman official said if the Lloyds representative finds that the plane can be repaired to make it worthy for flight, it will be recovered from the crash site. The insurance company may seek logistic help of Civil Aviation Authority (Caab) to drag the plane out of the canal.
"However, if the insurance company think the plane cannot be made fit for flight, the company will put the engine and other scraps for auction and pay the insurance coverage money to Biman," the Biman official said.
Refuting the allegation about the poor condition of the runway as the cause of the crash, State Minister for Civil Aviation Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin said, "As the runway is all right, operation of flights is now going on smoothly in the airport."
"We would have to wait for a few more days for the probe body report. The Caab chairman-led probe committee will submit the report at the earliest," he told a press conference at the VIP lounge of the airport.
He said the government will undertake a Tk 120 crore expansion project for the Sylhet airport which includes increasing the runway by 500 feet, establishment of boarding bridge and construction of new terminal building.
"On implementation, the project will ensure safer operation of flights, especially for wide-bodied aircraft which Biman is going to procure soon," the minister said.
The minister also rejected comments on the quality of F-28 aircraft and said, "The planes were procured for their cheaper cost. Due to fund shortage, Biman cannot buy modern and costly aircraft."
The minister said the cost of damage caused by Friday's crash would be measured by the insurer. "Biman would decide on and take steps for using the engines of the craft, as they were reportedly still in good condition," he added.
Caab Chairman and probe committee head Zahed Quddus, Biman MD Mahmudoor Rahman and Biman's internal probe body members also visited the crash site yesterday.
Meanwhile, doctors at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) yesterday released Captain Sahana Begum who sustained injuries in Friday's crash. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, executive director of Brac, who was trapped in the plane for six hours, is improving fast. Doctors said he is out of danger.
First officer of the flight Abu Safa was released from the CMH on Saturday.