STATE COMMISSION ISSUES STATEMENT ON APRIL 4 US PLANE CRASH

ZAGREB, 9 Sept (Hina) - Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa on Monday chaired a session of the State Commission for the investigation of a tragic plane crash which happened on 3 April 1996, at 2:55 p.m. near the village of Velji Do near Cavtat. All members of a U.S. state delegation, headed by the U.S. Commerce Minister Ron Brown, who were aboard the plane, were killed in the crash, a statement from the Government Public Relations Office said. #L# The statement further said that the State Commission had accepted a Report by the Commission of the Croatian Ministry of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs for the investigation of the plane crash. "- The State Commission fully accepts the final report by the Commission of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs on the causes of the crash. - a statement by the U.S. Commission claiming that the landing procedure at Dubrovnik airport had not been organised correctly, which caused the crash, is unfounded, and this was supported by an official report of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); - all services and equipment at Dubrovnik airport were fully ready for a safe landing; - all services of the Flight Control Administration had secured the flight through Croatia's airspace in line with the standardized procedure and rules set by the ICAO, including the start, search and rescue procedure itself. Certain irregularities had been registered and they related to inappropriate behaviour of officials in state services who gave unauthorized information to the press and the U.S. Commission for the investigation of causes of the plane crash, which was not in line with the existing legal regulations, the statement said. (hina) rm 092106 MET sep 96