The Spanish transport ministry rejected
claims it leaked confidential details of its investigation into the August 20
Spanair air crash which killed 154 people and left 18 injured in Madrid, dpa reported, referring
to the Spanish media.
"I am also disgusted by this. This is a lack of respect for the
survivors," Minister Magdalena Alvarez was quoted as saying, adding she
would ensure that those responsible for the leaks would be brought to justice.
Earlier this week, a preliminary report of the commission investigating the
crash was leaked, revealing that the Spanair MD-82 jetliner's wing flaps were
not properly extended and that the plane's take-off warning system failed to
alert the pilots of the problem.
It was also been revealed that the co-pilot was in charge of the plane.
The comments by the minister came one day after the commission's credibility
was hit as the main pilots' representative quit in protest over the leaks.
On Thursday, the daily El Pais had also published a video of the crash and
voice recordings of the first emergency alerts in its online edition.
"There has been an accident, we have seen fire and smoke," an anxious
woman's voice is heard saying in the control tower.
Referring to freedom of information laws, the newspaper refused to stop the
publication even after being ordered by the investigating judge to do so.
El Pais also said the footage was already freely available on the internet, but
handed over a recording to the police.
The commission will make the report public officially next week, sources close
to the investigation said Friday.
The opposition conservative People's Party (PP) has asked the government to
dissolve the commission, arguing that it was no longer credible, and to start the
investigation from zero.