Pilots Freed to Return to U.S.

Saying there were no legal grounds to “restricting the freedom of foreigners.” Candido Ribeiro a federal judge with the Federal Regional court of the First Region of Brasilia, ordered, and gained, the release the passports of two American pilots involved in a Sept. 29 collision between an Embraer Legacy and a Gol airlines Boeing 737 that crashed in the Amazon jungle and killed 154
people. Pilots Joseph Lepore and Jan Paladino were free to return to the U.S. on he promise they return for further inquiry. The Embraer Legacy jet was owned by ExcelAire of Ronkonkoma, N.Y.