Aviation

14.9, crash, fatalities

Russia: a Boeing 737- 500 airliner crashed near the Ural mountains, killing all 88 passengers and crew on board, 21 of them foreign nationals. The aircraft, operated by Russia’s national airline Aeroflot and on an internal flight from Moscow, ploughed into wasteland while trying to land in the Siberian city of Perm. The aircraft crashed on the outskirts of Perm, about 750 miles east of Moscow. Debris from the crash covered a section of Russia’s main east-west railway, forcing its closure. Investigators were flying from Moscow to try and establish what caused the crash but there was no suggestion of an attack or sabotage. Aviation authorities later reported that the aircraft was carrying about 11.5 tonnes of fuel at the time of impact, enough to complete the return flight to Moscow without refuelling. The aircraft did not break-up in mid-air, however it burst into flames and broke up on impact with the ground. The starboard engine, unlike the portside engine which was found nearly intact, was found seriously deformed and burnt, making the investigators believe that the engine was on fire prior to the impact.