EU considers ban on Yemenia Airlines

Watch Video>>

Although the cause of the crash is not clear, French officials say they found problems in the aircraft earlier.

A Yemenia airlines Airbus 310-300 registered under the number 70-ADJ taxis on the tarmac of Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris in this July 27, 2002 file photo.REUTERS/Thomas Noack

The EU Commission has warned Yemenia Airline that its flights can be banned in the European Union, if it fails to raise its safety standards.

The French transport minister says faults were found in the plane in 2007. Paris then banned the plane from its airspace.

The EU Commission's letter to Yemenia Airlines says air safety inspections conducted in Europe since 2008 had shown significant findings were recurring again, particularly in maintenance.

The Comoran vice president also accused the airline of poor safety conditions.

But the Yemenia chairman insists his airline follows the highest safety standards in the world.

And Yemen's transport minister says the plane was thoroughly checked in May under Airbus supervision. It also went through maintenance work before taking off.

The EU Commission has called on Yemenia to provide all available information on the crash by next Friday.

French aviation authorities have sent a team of experts to Comoros for investigation.

Yemen will send more technical groups and divers to follow its first investigation group sent to Comoros two days ago.