Reuters-FOCUS-Eight feared dead in

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Subject: Reuters-FOCUS-Eight feared dead in Myanmar Airways crash 

FOCUS-Eight feared dead in Myanmar Airways crash
09:55 a.m. Jul 02, 1999 Eastern
YANGON, July 2 (Reuters) - A Myanmar Airways turboprop on a domestic
chartered cargo flight crashed a few minutes before landing in western
Myanmar on Friday and all eight people aboard were feared dead, industry
sources said.

The sources, who work in the air cargo industry and did not want to be
identified, said the Fokker aircraft crashed about five minutes before it
was due to land at the coastal town of Sittwe, about 560 km (350 miles)
northwest of Yangon.

Airline and government officials declined to comment on what was the third
fatal crash of a state-owned Myanmar Airways Fokker in 18 months.

The sources quoted witnesses as saying the aircraft crashed on an island
near Sittwe airstrip and its wreckage was spread over a forested area.

They said eight people were aboard, including crew and some low-ranking
government officials. They said the aircraft had been carrying construction
materials for a bridge.

Last August, a Fokker F-27 belonging to the airline crashed in bad weather
near the northeastern town of Tachilek, killing all 36 people aboard.

In January 1998, 14 people, including three foreigners, were killed when
another F-27 crashed near the town of Thandwe about 320 klm (200 miles)
northwest of Yangon.

The Dutch manufacturer of the aircraft went bankrupt in 1996.

News of the latest crash came just after a Transport Ministry official said
that state-owned Myanmar Airways International would resume a twice-weekly
flight to Kuala Lumpur on July 15.

He said flights on certain international routes, including Kuala Lumpur,
were suspended late last year after the airline's foreign partner withdrew
the business.

Myanmar Airways International currently flies to Bangkok, Hong Kong and
Singapore using jet aircraft.