Reuters, UK
May 5 2006

Armenian airline loses second Airbus in 2 days
05 May 2006 15:12:13 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Adds Armavia spokeswoman, television footage throughout)

YEREVAN, May 5 (Reuters) – An Airbus A320 plane belonging to Armenian
air company Armavia and identical to its airliner which crashed two
days ago, burned down overnight in Belgium during maintenance works,
an Armenian official said on Friday.

The plane, made in 1996, was being serviced by Sabena Technics, said
Armenian civil aviation spokeswoman Gayane Davtyan, giving no further
details.

“This was a reserve airliner. We hope this accident will not wreck
our overall flight schedule, and we will try and make up for the
losses,” said Armavia press secretary Zhasmin Vilyan.

Russia’s ORT First Channel television ran video footage of a
smouldering plane body and an engine painted in Armavia’s hallmark
white and orange colours. It said four local workers had been injured
in the accident.

Sabena Technics’ facilities are located at Brussels National Airport
where it serves the aviation industry at large, the independent
aviation maintenance firm said on its Web site
Company officials could not be immediately
reached for comment.

Another Armavia Airbus A320 crashed into the Black Sea off the
Russian coast on Wednesday, killing all 113 passengers and crew on
board as it tried to land in torrential rain.

Armavia’s Vilyan said the two planes had been insured but declined to
give any further details.

Before this week’s accidents, Armavia’s fleet had counted five Airbus
airliners and two Soviet-made Yakovlev Yak-42 planes.