China Eastern Airlines Corp. said its first-half net loss nearly tripled over a year earlier, as the carrier grappled with rising fuel prices.

The loss of 1.72 billion yuan (US$215.8 million; euro168 million) in January-June compared with a 580.57 million yuan net loss in first-half 2005.

The Shanghai-based carrier did not elaborate on its results in its brief statement Monday to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

China Eastern warned in April that it expected to post a net loss in the first half, but didn't offer an estimate of the amount.

China Eastern, China Southern Airlines and flag-carrier Air China Ltd. are among China's largest carriers by traffic. Air China plans to release its first-half results later this week.

High jet fuel prices also kept rival China Southern Airlines Co. in the red for the first-half. Last week, China Southern reported its first-half net loss narrowed slightly to 835 million yuan (US$104.7 million; EUR81.8 million). Air China reports its earnings later this week.

Strong growth in demand has helped offset rising fuel costs; China Eastern said its revenues in the first half rose almost 60 percent to 16.96 billion yuan (US$2.1 billion; euro1.7 billion in the same period a year earlier.

State-owned China Eastern Air Holding Co. owns 61.64 percent of China Eastern Airlines.

China Eastern's chairman Li Fenghua has said the carrier is looking to sell a stake of at least 20 percent to a strategic investor to help raise funds and boost its management expertise.