Body of Air France pilot identified, carrier says

Jun 25, 2009, 18:12 GMT

Paris - Authorities have identified the body of the chief pilot of the Air France aircraft that plunged into the Atlantic on June 1 with 228 people aboard, the airline said on its web site Thursday.

'Among the victims found in the sea search, two members of the Air France crew have been identified: the flight captain and a steward,' Air France said.

The carrier's CEO, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, extended his condolences to their families on behalf of the company.

The online edition of the daily Le Figaro identified the flight captain as Marc Dubois. His body and that of a steward were identified by forensics experts in the Brazilian city of Recife.

It was not clear if the two victims were among the 11 which authorities said had already been identified. Searchers have so far recovered only 50 bodies from the waters.

The Airbus A330-200 aircraft, carrying 216 passengers and a crew of 12, plunged into the sea some 1,200 kilometers off the Brazilian coastline while on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

The French Office of Accident Investigation and Analysis (BEA), which is leading the investigation into the crash, said it would issue its first preliminary report on its findings on July 2.

However, a spokeswoman for the agency cautioned against high expectations. The report will consist of a presentation of the known facts about the accident, rather than formal conclusions.