judicial

SAN-100 investigation faces delays

Public prosecutors say the lack of the engine manufacturer’s report is the main obstacle facing the criminal investigation.

LA PRENSA

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Work on wrapping up the criminal investigation into the SAN-100 helicopter crash earlier this year, in which 11 people died, will have to wait until next year.

That was the gist of a letter sent to head prosecutor Dimas Guevara by Eustacio Fábrega, the director of the Civil Aviation Authority on December 19.

Guevara, who is in charge of drafting a summary report on the investigation, confirmed that Pratt & Whitney, the Canadian manufacturer of the helicopter’s engines may not deliver its findings this month as expected.

According to the letter, Pratt & Whitney told the Civil Aviation Authority that its review of the ill-fated helicopter’s engines would not be ready until January 2009.

Prosecutor Guevara commented that the delay in receiving the manufacturer’s report is the main obstacle facing the criminal investigation.

So far, the only document in the SAN-100 case file is the preliminary report issued by the technical board of the now defunct National Aviation Service, which attributed the deadly accident to engine failure and human error on the part of the aircraft’s pilot.

Chilean authorities have been pressing Panamanian aviation authorities to agree to establish a joint board to further investigate the crash and decide how the families of the deceased will be compensated.

Six Chileans police officials and five Panamanians died in the May 29 crash.