A preliminary investigation by Royal Air Cambodge into the fuel spill that canceled King Norodom Sihanouk’s scheduled trip to China on Aug 1 found that RAC workers did not properly inspect the plane before the King tried to board, the Khmer language press reported Thursday.
RAC’s executive director refused responsibility for the mishap because RAC pilots and engineers are hired in Malaysia, investigators reportedly said.
They also said there are internal conflicts between RAC staff, pilots and technicians. It was also reported that a Malaysian worker failed to follow procedure and overfilled the fuel tank, causing the spill.
After fuel began pouring from one of the aircraft’s wings, the King decided to postpone his trip until Sunday, when he took a different airline to China, where he is scheduled to receive medical treatment.
According to a report in the Moneaksakar Khmer (Conscience of Cambodia) newspaper, Prime Minister Hun Sen is considering taking a foreign airline when he leaves next Wednesday for a six-day trip to the Philippines and Brunei.
