MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - Mali has launched a judicial investigation as part of international efforts to determine the cause of last week's Air Algerie plane crash, Agence France-Presse reported Sunday citing Mali’s Minister of Solidarity and Humanitarian Action Hamadou Konate.
«Mali opened a judicial inquiry immediately after the discovery of the plane… for manslaughter," Konate told AFP.
France, which had 54 nationals on board, opened a preliminary investigation for manslaughter led by the commanding general of the aviation police on the day of the crash.
Mali's authorities said Sunday they would hand the AH 5017 flight black boxes to the French authorities, AFP reported Sunday citing Mali’s minister of communication Mahamadou Camara.
Air Algerie’s McDonnell Douglas 83 en route from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to Algeria crashed in Mali on Thursday. According to various reports, between 115 and 118 people from 15 countries, were on board the plane. All passengers and crew members died in the crash.
Among the possible causes of the tragedy authorities named a terrorist act and poor weather conditions. The plane deviated from the original course due to the impending storm.
