Singapore Airlines Fires Runway Crash Pilots

Jul 26, 2002

Two Singapore Airlines pilots, who were involved in the carrier's first fatal crash two years ago, have lost their jobs.

SIA said today that it had fired Captain Foong Chee Kong and First Officer Cyrano Latiff who were at the controls of the aircraft when it tried to take off from Taipei Airport on the wrong runway.

Flight SQ006 hit construction equipment and 83 of the 179 people on board the Boeing 747-400 lost their lives.

A third member of the flight crew, First Officer Ng Kheng Len has kept his job, the airline said.

Two days ago the Taiwan prosecutors office confirmed that charges against Captain Foong and First Officer Latiff should be suspended for three years, on condition they carry out 240 hours of community service in Singapore and not operate into Taipei for a year. No charges were brought against the third pilot.

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