French probe airline

A FRENCH magistrate has opened a formal investigation of Continental Airlines for manslaughter for the suspected role played by one of its jets in the July 2000 crash of the supersonic Concorde.

French investigating judge Christophe Regnard yesterday placed Continental under investigation - a step short of being formally charged - for manslaughter and involuntary injury.

Investigators concluded that a titanium strip that fell from a Continental DC-10 onto the runway caused a Concorde tyre to burst, propelling debris that perforated the supersonic plane’s fuel tanks.