"Let me express, on behalf of the Singapore government, our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who were affected by the crash of flight SQ006," said Yeo Cheow Tong, Minister for Communications and Information Technology.

Flight SQ006, which was bound for Los Angeles, crashed shortly after take-off during a typhoon on October 31 at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, killing 82 of the 179 people on board. Investigators said the plane struck construction equipment while trying to take off from a runway under repair. "The government is indeed deeply saddened by this tragic accident," Mr Yeo said.

Legislators asked the government for a preliminary report on the cause of the crash. Mr Yeo said only that experts from Taiwan, the United States, Singapore and Australia were investigating the crash, adding: "The investigator in charge [in Taiwan] . . . has indicated that the investigators will have to gather all factual data and do the necessary analysis. He has indicated it will take about a year to complete the investigation."

Singapore is fiercely proud of its national carrier Singapore Airlines, consistently rated in surveys among the world's best.

In its 28-year history, Singapore Airlines had never directly experienced a fatal accident. Its one and only disaster came in 1997, when a plane operated by its subsidiary, SilkAir, crashed in Indonesia and killed 104 people.

Flight SQ006's pilot and two co-pilots, who survived the crash without serious injuries, have been ordered to remain in Taiwan to answer questions about the incident. "Investigators will determine the cause of the accident and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences," Mr Yeo said.