DJ AM leaves hospital after crash

DJ AM (left) and drummer Travis Barker (right) were the only survivors

Celebrity disc jockey DJ AM has been released from hospital a week after he escaped a jet crash in which four people died, his spokeswoman has said.

The star and former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker were the only survivors when their Learjet crashed onto a road shortly after take-off last weekend.

Both suffered second and third-degree burns and were rushed to a specialist hospital in Georgia.

DJ AM's spokeswoman Jenni Weinman said he was "deeply saddened" by the events.

She added that the disc jockey was "thankful for all of the love and support he has been receiving from fans and friends".

A hospital spokeswoman would not say when Barker was expected to be released.

Sparks seen

Goldstein and Barker, who perform together under the name TRVSDJ-AM, had been playing at a free concert in Columbia before boarding the jet.

Air traffic controllers had reported seeing sparks coming from the plane as it tried to take off.

Officials said it left the end of the runway before coming to rest, engulfed in flames, a quarter of a mile away on the embankment across a five-lane motorway.

Two pilots and two other passengers who were close friends of Goldstein and Barker were killed in the crash.

The musicians apparently escaped the wreckage by sliding down a wing.

Safety officials have said that a cockpit voice recording suggested the crew tried unsuccessfully to abort take-off after hearing a probable tyre blowout.

The US National Transportation Safety Board has not said what caused the crash, but spokesman Peter Knudson said he expects the agency to release a preliminary report next week.