The plane aboard which more than 80 Lebanese died when it crashed at the Cotonou airport in Benin on Christmas Day was withdrawn from aviation service in the United States a year ago as unfit for flying, the Beirut-based An Nahar reported on Thursday. Washington Interpol has notified Beirut Interpol in a message dated Jan. 20, 2004, or two days ago, that the aircraft, a Boeing 727-223, was originally owned by Financial Advisory Group Corp., which had purchased it from American Airlines, An Nahar added.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)