EgyptAir data files sent back to Cairo

Data files from the crashed EgyptAir flight MS804 have been transferred to investigators working in Cairo.

It follows the completion of repair works on one of the plane’s black box flight recorders in France.

This is a major development as it takes investigators a step closer to finding out the cause of the crash.

“The data file was transferred to Cairo today for decoding, validating and studying of data at the laboratories of the central department for aircraft accidents at the Ministry of Civil Aviation” said a statement from Egypt’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee on Tuesday.

The recovery process according to the committee would take several days adding that repair works on the plane’s second black box, the Cockpit Voice Recorder also started on Tuesday.

The damaged memory chips from the black boxes were sent to France following the inability of Egyptian investigators to repair them as they were said to have been badly damaged when recovered.

Investigators will now begin to transcribe and analyse the recordings and data which potentially hold insights into the cause of the crash.

The Airbus A320 is believed to have crashed in the deepest part of the Mediterranean sea en route to Cairo from Paris on may 19 killing all 66 people on board.

Debris from the plane was on Monday brought to the Cairo airport where investigators will try to reassemble part of the aircraft’s frame in search of additional clues.

Although the cause of the crash is still not know, the Paris Prosecutor’s office on Monday opened a manslaughter investigation but said it was not looking into terrorism as a possible cause of the crash at this stage.