Flight operations to and from the airport runway was suspended immediately after a Bangladesh Biman DC-10 aircraft skidded off the runway at 8:30 yesterday.

"It is too early to make any comments on why and how the incident took place," the minister said, adding that he will be able to tell the cause of the accident after the five-member committee submits its report.

He said rescue operations will begin as soon as the inspecting team completes documenting the extent of the damage to the airliner, location and in what condition the aircraft is now lying.

"We have already informed the supplier of the aircraft, US company Pegasus, and the insurance company. We have to send them video footage of the aircraft now lying at the edge of the runway," said the minister.

The black box of the leased US$ 12 million aircraft will be sent to France by Saturday, he added.

In reply to a question by the BBC correspondent here, the minister said that the aircraft would never be fit to fly again as it suffered permanent damage.

He earlier told The Daily Star that the civil aviation authority holds insurance worth US$ 15 million against the aircraft.