Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
July 27, 2006 Thursday 10:06 PM MSK

Armavia plans new examination of A320 crash

The Armenian Armavia air company, the owner of the A320 aircraft that
crashed into the Black Sea on May 3 near the airport in Sochi, has
disputed the conclusion of the Interstate Aviation Committee on the
reasons behind the crash and is going to hold another examination.

The decision was made at a meeting of the company’s leadership in
Yerevan on Thursday. Company President Mikhail Bagdasarov is
currently in Germany and did not attend.

The authorities of Armavia took a preliminary decision to ask an
independent, but authoritative party to hold another examination into
the causes of the crash.

Earlier, Bagdasarov said that he would contest the conclusion of the
committee in court.

"The committee accused the crew in the crash. However, there were
other reasons as well," he said in an interview with the Svoboda
radio station. "In particular, the actions of the ground services, as
well as weather conditions and the location of the Sochi airport," he
said.

The crash killed eight crew members and 105 passengers.