RIA Novosti, Russia
Feb 16 2008
Black box from crashed passenger jet in Armenia sent to Moscow
18:46 | 16/ 02/ 2008
YEREVAN, February 16 (RIA Novosti) – A black box recorder from a
passenger plane that crashed near the capital of Armenia on February
14 injuring four people, has been sent to Moscow for decoding, a
local aviation official said on Saturday.
The Canadian-built CRJ-100 was heading for Minsk with 18 passengers
and three crew members on board when it slid off the runway at the
Zvarnots Airport, about 10 km (six miles) west of Yerevan, one wing
hitting the ground, the aircraft splitting into two parts and
catching fire.
Gayane Davtyan, a spokesman for the main department of the Armenian
Civil Aviation said, "Three representatives of the Interstate
Aviation Committee (IAC) took the black box recorder to Moscow, where
it will be decoded."
She said the decision to take the black box recorder to the Russian
capital was made because the IAC head department is located in Moscow
and it has the necessary equipment for decoding, which Yerevan does
not have.
The aircraft belongs to the Belarusian state-owned airline, Belavia.
Specialists from the airline are on their way to the crash site along
with Belarusian Transport Ministry representatives.