"The pilots will have to undergo and pass a rigorous programme of medical and psychological assessments conducted by the Civil Aviation Medical Board, as well as extensive flight retraining and subsequent flight tests," CAAS said.

CAAS based its decision on recommendations by a panel of experts that analysed reports from Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council and Singapore's Transport Ministry.

"The panel reviewed the facts of the case and interviewed the pilots, and concluded after a thorough evaluation that the pilots did not contravene any regulation or operational procedures that would require or justify the continued suspension of their licenses," CAAS said.

Eighty-three people were killed when an SIA Boeing 747-400 jet bound for Los Angeles crashed on October 31, 2000, a first in the airline's 28-year history.

Two of the three pilots, Foong Chee Kong and Latiff Cyrano, were sacked by SIA in July.

The two mistakenly turned on to a runway at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek airport that was closed for repairs when preparing to take off on a stormy night. Their jumbo jet exploded when it ploughed into construction equipment.

Taiwan authorities blamed pilot error for the tragedy, with manslaughter charges against the pair conditionally suspended for three years.

A third pilot in the cockpit, First Officer Ng Kheng Leng, was not held liable by Taiwan officials and was retained by the airline as he did not engage in the actual operation of doomed Flight SQ006.

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