The International Federation of Airline Pilots' Association (IFALPA) said in a statement the SIA pilots should be allowed to return to their families, but could be asked to return by the Taiwan government.

The federation said they issued the statement after a meeting of three IFALPA technical committees in Singapore last week expressed concern for the welfare of their colleagues.

Holding the three pilots -- Malaysian captain Foong Chee Kong, and Singaporean co-pilots Latiff Cyrano and Ng Kheng Leng -- would serve no purpose in the ongoing investigations, they said.

"While they (IFALPA) understand that the government of Taiwan has an obligation to fully investigate this accident, they also believe that the continued detainment of the crew in Taiwan with the threat of prosecution does not serve to further the investigation," the statement said.

The three SIA pilots "who have willingly assisted in the investigation should be allowed to leave Taiwan and return to their homes and families.

"After the conclusion of the investigation, they may return to Taiwan at the sole request of the government of Taiwan," the statement added.

The England-based IFALPA, which represents 120,000 pilots in 95 countries, declined to comment on the investigation led by Taiwanese aviation authorities.

IFALPA had earlier denounced "in the strongest possible terms" what it said was a growing trend to attribute blame in air accidents.

SIA's Los Angeles-bound flight SQ006 crashed after slamming into heavy construction machinery while trying to take off from the wrong runway in Taipei, killing 82 of the 179 people onboard.

The three pilots, who all survived the crash, have been barred from leaving Taiwan pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

Taiwan prosecutors have hinted that they would charge the pilots with causing death by negligence.

SIA officials accepted full responsibility for the first ever crash in the carrier's 28-year history, but demanded to know why the experienced pilot put his plane on the wrong runway.