A day after the crash of a plane in Russia’s Far East, both flight recorders have been recovered. On Thursday, all 42 passengers and six crew members died in the tragic incident. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were found in the crash area in the Amur region and will now be transported to Moscow for analysis.
As previously reported, the ill-fated aircraft was reportedly nearly 50 years old. According to Russian news agency Tass, the plane was built in 1976 at an aircraft factory in Kyiv, in the former Soviet Union.
The aircraft was en route to Tynda, near the border with China. During its second approach, the signal went dark, and shortly before reaching its destination, the passenger plane vanished from radar. Rescuers later discovered the burning wreckage 15 kilometers from the airport. All onboard perished.
Criminal proceedings against the airline Following the crash, the public prosecutor’s office launched a criminal case against Angara Airlines for possible violations of safety regulations. However, according to official reports, the aircraft had undergone inspection just before departure and no defects were found.
The operating license was also valid until 2036. Regional governor Vasily Orlov pointed to either technical failure or pilot error. The head of Angara Airlines mentioned unfavorable weather conditions at the time of the crash.
