DUBAI - A rocket fired by the French navy training in the Indian Ocean caused the Yemenia Airways crash in which 152 passengers and crew were killed, Yemeni state news agency Saba reported on Saturday.
“Aviation experts and investigations into the flight data recorders confirmed that a rocket fired by one of the French naval ships in the region caused the disaster,” Saba said, citing the Almotamar.net website.
Almotamar is a Yemeni e-newspaper published by the General People Congress (GPC), according to the website.
The A310 plane from France plunged into the Indian Ocean on June 30 shortly after beginning its descent towards the Comoros carrying mainly French and Comoran passengers.
A 13-year-old girl was the only survivor. She was found by clinging to floating wreckage of the aircraft.
French officials said in September that investigators had found evidence indicating the crash was caused by pilot error.
Previously some French officials had suggested that the plane was not safe, but no official explanation for the accident has been given.
Saba said Yemen plans to ask France to compensate Yemenia and the families of the crash victims.