Investigators examine black boxes

Investigators examining the wreckage of the Crossair jet for more clues Keystone

Preliminary findings from the two "black boxes" of the Crossair plane that crashed near Zurich last Saturday are expected to be released early on Thursday.

The flight data recorder and the voice recorder are being examined in Paris, said the chief inspector of the Swiss Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (BFU), Jean Overney.

According to Overney, the data has been decoded in Paris and will be analysed in Switzerland. “It is in very good condition,” he said.

It is still not clear whether the pilot or the co-pilot was at the controls when Crossair flight LX3507 from Berlin went down.

Both pilot and co-pilot were using their microphones and headphones for their conversation, which explains the good quality of the recordings.

Surviving crew members and passengers have also given useful information, said BFU employee Daniel Knecht.

Immediate aid

Crossair will offer immediate financial aid to families of victims of the crash and pay each family SFr30,000 ($18,028).

Crossair head André Dosé said survivors would also receive the same sum. The airline will pay additional compensation over the coming weeks, according to applicable laws and damages submitted for each passenger.

“We are continuing to do everything humanly possible to support the victims of this catastrophe,” Dosé said.

The RJ-100 Jumbolino was attempting a landing in poor weather on a runway used primarily by aircraft arriving after 10pm, when landings on the daytime runways are not permitted due to noise pollution regulations.

Twenty-four of the 33 people on the plane, which was arriving from Berlin, were killed in the crash. Nine people survived by scrambling form the burning wreckage.

swissinfo with agencies