Investigators hear downed plane's signal

MORONI, Comoros, July 5 (UPI) -- An underwater search of the Indian Ocean has yielded signals emanating from the flight data recorders of a downed Yemenia airliner, officials said Sunday.

The Airbus 310, bound for the Comoros Islands from Yemen, crashed into the ocean Tuesday in bad weather with 153 on board. A 12-year-old girl was the only survivor.

French investigators say they have detected the Yemenia Airway plane's two data recorders, the BBC reported.

The French accident investigation agency BEA said in statement Sunday "a signal from the two boxes was detected this morning during underwater searches to locate the flight recorders of Flight IY 626."

The French transport ministry has said the Airbus 310 has been banned from France and the European Union since 2007 because of "irregularities." Yemenia shot back at critics, blasting what it called "false information and speculation about technical problems" on the plane, the BBC reported.