Free Republic

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - A court said Tuesday it had released the passports of two U.S. pilots of a private jet involved in a collision with a Boeing 737 over the Amazon that killed 154 people. The Federal Regional Court of the First Region of Brasilia said that it unanimously agreed to return the passports of Joseph Lepore, 42, of Bay Shore, N.Y., and Jan Paladino, 34, of Westhampton Beach, N.Y. They can pick up their passports in 72 hours and leave Brazil, but must agree to return to Brazil for further inquiry and judicial action, the court said...

The Brazilian air force (FAB) has released photographs of the Embraer Legacy 600 business jet that collided with a Gol Linhas Aereas Boeing 737-800 on Friday killing 151 passengers and crew on board. The air force has begun its investigation into the case of the crash and has retained the Embraer aircraft. The aircraft (N600XL, pictured below) was on its delivery flight to the new owner, Excelaire, and was scheduled to land at Embraer's facility in Manaus to refuel. Following the collision, the Legacy 600 landed at the Cachimbo air force base. The FAB says the aircraft, which has a...