James Boyd, an airline spokesman in Los Angeles, said that according to the latest information available from the crash site, 75 people on board the Boeing 747-400 were unaccounted for.

Boyd said that according to the airline's latest estimates there were 159 passengers and 20 crew members on board the aircraft. Officials said dozens of survivors had been taken to three local hospitals.

Boyd said the airline was in the process of contacting relatives of those on board.

A special phone line -- (800) 828-0508 -- has been set up for relatives of passengers in the United States. In Singapore the number for next-of-kin is: +65 542-3311.

The aircraft involved in the crash was bought new from Boeing in January 1997 and had its last major maintenance in September 2000, Boyd said.

Chaplains, counselors and the Salvation Army were on site at Los Angeles International Airport to offer comfort to friends and relatives of passengers, he said.

The following is Incident Report 3 dated November 1, 6.30am (Singapore time) from the Singapore Airlines website on Flight SQ006. There has been no other update at posting time (noon Singapore time).

FLIGHT SQ 006, TAIPEI-LOS ANGELES

SIA is sad to announce that 66 fatalities have been confirmed following the tragic accident at Taipei's Chiang Kai Shek Airport yesterday (31 October).

The breakdown by nationality of the 159 passengers on board SQ 006 is as follows: Singapore 11, Taiwan 55, USA 47, India 11, Malaysia 8, Indonesia 5, Mexico 4, United Kingdom 4, Thailand 2, New Zealand 2, Vietnam 2, and one each from Australia, Canada, Cambodia, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Ireland, and the Canary Islands (Spain).

The captain, Captain C. K. Foong, is a Malaysian with 11,235 flying hours' experience.