Taiwan Aviation Safety Council, in its preliminary findings, has indicated that the pilot could have taken off on runway 05R instead of the designated 05L. This is a highly significant finding that the Singapore Government views very seriously.

It is not clear what factors and prevailing conditions could have caused this error. Our investigation team and two senior CAAS officials are already in Taipei. They have been instructed to cooperate fully with the Taiwanese investigation authorities, to leave no stone unturned in searching for the causes of the accident. Singapore will be judged by how open we are about how the accident happened, how much we learn from it, and what systems we put in place so as not to repeat them.

Singapore will take all possible actions, that the investigation team may recommend, to prevent a recurrence of this accident.

The Singapore Government is deeply saddened by the accident, the first with passenger fatalities in SIA’s 28-year history. It expresses its deepest condolences to the affected families and friends of those onboard the aircraft.

Issued by: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Date: 3 Nov 2000

Time: 6.45pm