Metal strip in Concorde crash fell from Continental jet

Report by John Lavabre

A PIECE of metal thought to have played a part in last year’s Concorde crash in France came from a Continental Airlines jet.

The French air accident investigators believe the metal strip fell from a Continental DC 10 that took off minutes before Concorde at Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on July 25 last year.

It is thought the strip may have punctured a tyre on Concorde and triggered the chain of events that caused the Air France aircraft to crash at nearby Gonesse, killing all 113 people.

A statement issued by Continental said: “Continental remains unable to confirm that the metal strip in question came from one of its aircraft as, to date, we have not been given access to the strip. Continental continues to cooperate with the authorities investigating the accident and wishes to express again its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.”