Air NZ in France for Perpignan crash talks

Air New Zealand CEO Roby Fyfe. Photo / Dean Purcell

Air New Zealand said today it could not confirm a report that an announcement is due tonight on whether charges will be laid over the 2008 Airbus A320 crash in France which killed seven people.

The Air New Zealand aircraft crashed on a test flight as it was approaching Perpignan in the south of France on November 27, 2008. The five New Zealanders and two Germans on board all died.

The airline confirmed that a confidential briefing was held in France yesterday for the parties involved in the tragedy, but it could not confirm any announcement by Perpignan prosecutor Jean-Pierre Dreno on charges was imminent.

Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe and the general manager airline operations and safety, Captain David Morgan, attended the briefing, along with an official of the Wellington-based Transport Air Investigation Commission.

"The purpose of the hearing was for the court-appointed experts to present their report on the accident," an Air NZ statement said.

"The report, which is confidential to parties to the proceedings, will be considered by the judge as he decides on the next steps required to complete his investigation."

It is not known when the final report by the French Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA) will be completed.

Transport Accident Investigation Commission chief investigator Tim Burfoot was not available for comment.

- NZPA