BLACK BOXES BEING TRANSCRIBED

Panorama.am
20:07 14/02/2008

Yerevan-Minsk flight plane underwent an accident at 4:19 local
time. The airplane belonged to Belavia.

While leaving airport Zvartnots, the crew informed the flight conductor
that the airplane is leaning towards left. Rising up by 4 to 5 meters,
the airplane turned to the left side. It kept on going along the
whole flight line. This information was released by Civil Aviation
General Department (CAGD) Head Artiom Movsisyan.

In his words, two of the passengers helped the crew to open the
door. Fire started after the plane turned to the left. Fifty seconds
after the accident, fire brigade arrived.

"Our losses are the minimum," Movsisyan mentioned also saying "there
was no explosion but some have heard noise." Airplane fuel poured on
the ground.

The fire service has been under the subordination of the airport
for one year and the company has made an investment totaling $3,500
million for the establishment of the service.

In Movsisyan’s words, the weather was dry. There are no problems
connected with the Armenian party. The airplane passed technical
observation in February. The plane is of 1999 production with a
capacity to carry 48 passengers. The pilots have worked with the
plan for one year. The Byelorussian pilots have passed medical check
ups before the flight and no irregularities were reported. The
transcription of the black boxes has started. However, it is not
clear how much information has been preserved.

The Armenian Aviation authorities plan to invite the International
Aviation Committee for investigation.

Movsisyan said the Armenian party is not well acquainted with that
type of airplanes.

According to CAGD information, Byelorussian, Ukrainian and Russian
citizens each, 5 Georgia and 10 Armenian passengers were on board. The
embassies of the countries were notified. Zvartnots started its normal
work at 11 o’clock.