Thai investigators have found both flight data recorders from a passenger plane that crash-landed on the resort island of Phuket, killing at least 89 of the 130 passengers and crew on board.
The devices will be sent to the United States for analysis, a process expected to take at least a week. Authorities hope the information will help explain why the plane crashed on the airport runway while landing in heavy rain and strong winds Sunday.
The airliner broke in two upon impact and burst into flames. The US-made (McDonnell Douglas MD-82) jet was operated by the Thai budget carrier One-Two-Go.
Officials say 34 Thais and 55 foreigners were killed in Sunday's crash. Foreign embassies have confirmed that four US citizens, one Australian and a French national are among the dead.
Citizens from Germany and Iran also were aboard. Thai officials say 41 survivors have been taken to hospitals. Five are in critical condition with severe burns.
Authorities have temporarily closed the Phuket airport and are rerouting flights through Krabi.
The crash was Thailand's deadliest since 1998, when a Thai Airways jet went down south of Bangkok, killing 101 people.
Information for this story is provided by AP, AFP, and Reuters.
