JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: Singapore Airlines is defending the actions of its pilot following yesterday's crash of a 747 in Taiwan. Flight 006 split apart in a ball of flames during takeoff in heavy wind and rain. Eighty of the 179 people aboard were killed. The fate of two dozen American passengers is still unclear. Airline officials say the pilot's decisions did not endanger the lives of those onboard and Taiwanese officials insist weather conditions did not exceed maximum limits for closing the airport. CNN's Lisa Barron is in Taipei with more.</s>LISA BARRON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The scene at the domestic terminal in of Chiang Kai-shek Airport in Taipei is grim. The process of identifying the bodies of the victims of Flight 006 has just begun. As you can see, inside the terminal there are rows upon rows of bodies in body bags next to coffins waiting to be identified. So far, the relatives that have been coming have been coming from Taiwan, Indonesia and India. Later tonight we'll expect to see relatives from Singapore; tomorrow from relatives of victims from the United States flying in from Los Angeles. Inside the room local religious groups, priests, nuns, are singing, praying, holding vigil over the victims' bodies. Meanwhile, the investigation into the cause of the crash is continuing. The data and cockpit recorders have been recovered but, so far, no information there. The CEO of Singapore Airlines, as well as U.S. Civil Aviation authorities, will be arriving in Taipei to help with the investigation. Meanwhile, the pilot of the plane is saying that he hit an object on the runway. That is now under dispute. We're also getting harrowing tales from survivors that many of the passengers on Flight 006 were wondering why the plane was taking off in the typhoon, in the weather conditions in which it was taking off in Chiang Kai-shek in Taipei. Lisa Barron, CNN, Taipei.
Singapore Airlines Defends Flight 006 Captain's Decision to Attempt Takeoff