Paris - France-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus said Friday it is sending a team of flight safety investigators to the United States to aid the inquiry into the cause of the crash of one of its planes into the Hudson River.

The US Airways Airbus A320 was crash-landed by the pilot into the icy river off New York City late Thursday after two of the plane's engines failed shortly after take-off from La Guardia Airport. All 155 people on board were rescued.

First indications were that the aircraft had collided with a flock of Canada geese while taking off. Airbus said in a statement that the plane had been delivered to US Airways in August 1999.

The investigation into the cause of the accident is to be carried out by the US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) and the French Office of Investigations and Analyses (BEA). (dpa)