Flight SQ006, bound for Los Angeles, crashed on October 31 when attempted to takeoff during a typhoon on a runway that was closed for repairs, killing 83 of the 179 people on board.

The source said the pilots arrived in Singapore late Dec 21 after Taiwan authorities approved of their release.

SIA officials would not confirm their arrival, saying it will be sending out a statement Dec 22.

The airline has guaranteed to send the pilots back to Taiwan if they are need for the investigation into the crash.

The aircraft hit construction equipment and burst into flames. It was the first fatal incident in Singapore Airlines' 28-year history.

Foong Chee Kong, 41, the Malaysian pilot and first officers Ng Kheng Leng, 38, and Latif Cyrano, 36, both Singaporeans, had been barred from leaving Taiwan while prosecutors investigated the crash.

Taiwan's decision to release the three followed intense pressure from the Singapore government and condemnation by the Singapore media and the London-based International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations, which threatened to boycott Taiwan.

In a preliminary report, Taiwan air safety investigators have ruled out problems with the jet as the cause of the crash.