Greece - Crashed airliner 'ran out of fuel'

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Source: The Australian

Crash airliner 'ran out of fuel'
From correspondents in Athens
22aug05

GREEK investigators examining the Cypriot airliner crash have found signs the plane had a cabin pressure problem and ran out of fuel before crashing.

"There are signs of a technical anomaly in the aircraft's pressure system," head investigator Akrivos Tsolakis wrote in a letter to Transport Minister Michalis Liapis made public today.

"If this happened, then it would have had an impact on the physical condition of the passengers and crew," he said.

Mr Tsolakis said there was "proof" that lack of fuel was the ultimate cause of the crash, which killed all 121 people on board eight days ago.

The investigation team has already established the Boeing 737's German pilot had signalled a fault with the air-conditioning system in the plane's electronics compartment to his company shortly after take-off from Larnaca.

They have yet to determine what appears to have incapacitated both pilots.

Mr Tsolakis today confirmed earlier reports that someone had attempted to land the stricken plane, based on evidence drawn from the Boeing's voice recorder, one of its two "black boxes".

"There is proof... that a person wearing an oxygen mask was sitting in the pilot's seat for the final 10 minutes (before the crash)," Mr Tsolakis said.

"This person twice attempted to send a mayday signal, in a fashion that could not be picked up by any station. The tone of voice showed that it was a man, either distressed or suffering from exhaustion."

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