Continental faces Concorde probe
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Continental Airlines says it has been placed under investigation by a French magistrate judge for the suspected role played by one of its jets in the July 2000 crash of the supersonic Concorde that killed 113 people.
A judicial investigation is normally a first step towards eventual criminal charges under French law.
The decision followed an official report in December which concluded that a metal strip that fell off a Continental Airlines DC-10 and a fuel tank design fault led to the crash on July 25, 2000.
The titanium strip caused a Concorde tire to burst, propelling rubber debris that perforated the supersonic jet's fuel tanks.
Continental Airlines, based in Houston, issued the following statement on Thursday: "Continental Airlines was placed under investigation by the magistrate in today's hearing, but it is important to note that this is just the beginning of the investigation part of the proceeding.
"We are confident that the evidence will ultimately show that Continental was not responsible for this tragic accident."
In December Continental Airlines denied any responsibility for the crash and vowed to defend itself in court.
Most of the 109 passengers on the Concorde that crashed on July 25, 2000, were German tourists on the first leg of a planned Caribbean cruise holiday. Four people also died at a hotel near the airport into which the plane crashed in a ball of fire.
Despite modifications ordered in the wake of the crash, Air France and British Airways later took all of their Concordes out of service.
