Airbus pilot decided to land despite ‘red alert’

THE pilot of the Air France airbus 340 made a decision to land the plane at Toronto airport despite a “red alert” about lightning and having enough fuel to reach another airport.

Investigators searching the wreckage found the flight data and voice recorders - the so-called “black boxes,” said Steve Shaw, spokesman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.

Officials hope these will provide clues as to what caused the aircraft to skid off a runway on Tuesday and burst into flames.