Spy Plane Crew to Be Released
April 11 -- After a tense 11-day standoff between the United States and China, the crew of a U.S. spy plane detained in China is set to be released.
China today said the 24 U.S. Navy crew members were being released on "humanitarian grounds."
The release came after U.S. Ambassador to China Joseph Prueher delivered a letter to the Chinese today that said the U.S. government was "very sorry" for entering Chinese airspace to make an emergency landing without permission.
President Bush today said China assured him the release would occur "promptly" and he looked forward to welcoming home the crew members detained on Hainan Island.
"This has been a difficult situation for both our countries," Bush said at a briefing. "I know the American people join me in expressing sorrow for the loss of life of a Chinese pilot. Our prayers are with his wife and his child."
The Chinese decision to release the U.S. crew came after more than a week of wrangling between diplomats on both sides that resulted in a carefully worded letter, which gave room for both sides to claim victory after an 11-day diplomatic standoff.
But a White House official told ABCNEWS the wording of the letter delivered by Prueher today was the same as the one delivered to the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing two days ago.
A chartered Continental Airlines Boeing 737 has arrived at the Mailan airport in Hainan from Guam to collect the crew.
There were reports the jet would return to Guam with the crew, where they would be transferred to a military jet to carry them on to Hawaii. They are expected to stay in Hawaii for two or three days for medical and psychiatric checks as well as intelligence debriefings.
ABCNEWS has learned the intelligence debriefings will begin on board the Boeing 737 since it is advisable to start the debriefings early as well as to cut down the debriefing time in Hawaii and enable the crew to get to their families sooner.
They are expected to reach Hawaii early Thursday, after which they would return to their main base at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington state.
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