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
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