SEARCH TEAM RECOVER SECOND ‘BLACK BOX’ FROM ARMENIAN AIRLINER
MosNews, Russia
May 24 2006
MosNews
A Russian search team has recovered the second ‘black box’ flight
recorder from an Armenian airliner that crashed into the Black Sea
on 3 May, killing 113 people. Investigators hope it will help explain
the cause of the tragedy.
The first black box, which recorded conversations between the plane’s
pilot and crew was recovered on Monday. A special intergovernmental
investigation committee will be set up to decipher the flight data
from the plane, an air safety official told RIA Novosti.
The second flight recorder had been thought to be lying 3-5 meters
(10-16 feet) away from the first one, was actually located 16 meters
(about 40 feet) from the first recorder and was buried deeper in silt,
Svetlana Kryshtanovskaya, a Russian Transport ministry representative
said.
The airliner, operated by Armenia’s Airliner A320, crashed while flying
from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, in stormy weather 6 kilometers
(3.7 miles) from Russia’s Adler airport, which services the popular
resort of Sochi.
Most of the passengers were Armenian, but there were also 26 Russian
nationals. Among those on board were eight crew and six children.
Armavia, the airline which owned the plane, says that it was in
good condition and that the crew were experienced. The Airbus was
manufactured in 1995 and underwent checks last month, BBC reports.