A flight union demanded Friday that investigators back up their report that a distraught pilot deliberately steered his plane into a mountain, killing all 44 people aboard.
In a statement published in the newspaper Opinion, the Moroccan Association of Navigators expressed "indignation" at the "deeply grave accusation that can only be put forth with irrefutable proof.""We obviously plan to be in touch with the investigating commission to find out on what basis its thesis rests," the statement said.
The Royal Air Maroc ATR-42 crashed north of Agadir in southern Morocco on Sunday, killing 40 passengers and four crew members.
An investigating commission announced Thursday that the pilot, Younes Khayati, plunged the plane to earth because he wished to commit suicide.
News reports have said Khayati, 32, was in despair over his love life. The head of the investigating commission said a special panel was being set up to uncover the suicide motive.
The flight union immediately disputed the suicide explanation and in Friday's statement said the plane probably malfunctioned.
"As soon as Captain Khayati began positioning himself for takeoff, he signaled to the control tower that he had a technical problem and wanted to return to the parking area," the union's statement said.
In a statement Thursday, the union said it had asked authorities for two seats on the investigative commission, but their request was denied.
All 44 victims - 20 of them foreigners - were buried in a common grave in Agadir. An imam, a reverend and a rabbi presided over the burial ceremony with prayers of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish rites.