Crash tragedy airline banned from UAE airspace

The General Civil Aviation Authority has temporarily banned Azza Transport - the operator of last week's crashed plane - from operating in the UAE, it was reported on Sunday.

The carrier will be stopped from using UAE airspace until the investigations into the reasons why Azza's Boeing 707 crashed shortly after takeoff from Sharjah International Airport on Wednesday.

In comments published by the Khaleej Times, Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said the ban was a preventive measure.

He told the paper that the authority had sent the plane’s black box, an engine and flight data recorder to the UK to see if the crash was caused by mechanical failure, human error or by sub-standard aircraft maintenance.

“The ban is a normal procedure carried out to ensure that the aircraft of the company involved in the incident are in good condition,” he said.

He said the overall maintenance of aircraft is the full responsibility of the company which registered them.

Two representatives from the Sudan Civil Aviation have arrived in the UAE to be part in the investigation committee.

Aviation sources said the surveillance camera at the Sharjah International Airport showed that Boeing 707 climbed normally until it flew out of view. Video showed a large part falling from the airplane, the paper reported.

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