25 BODIES RECOVERED FROM BLACK SEA AIR CRASH SITE
RIA Novost
09:55 | 03/ 05/ 2006
MOSCOW, May 3 (RIA Novosti) – A total of 25 bodies have been recovered
from the site of an air crash near Russia’s Black Sea coast, emergency
services said Wednesday.
More than 100 people are feared dead after an Airbus liner flying
from the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, to the resort town of Sochi
crashed in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Airline Armavia said
113 people were on board.
The Airbus sunk 400 meters into the sea and 23 vessels, including
13 Russian Emergency Situations Ministry vessels, are working at
the scene.
Viktor Beltsov, an official with the ministry, said the cause of the
crash would only become known after the A-320’s flight recorders were
recovered and the data deciphered.
“The flight data recorders have not been discovered so far,” he said.
Beltsov said the nationality of the passengers who were on board the
airliner was being identified at the moment. He added, citing the
flight plan, that most of them were Armenian citizens.
Earlier reports suggested at least 23 Russians had died, but Russian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said there were at least
26 Russians on board.
Beltsov said the airliner had disappeared from radars at 2:15
a.m. Moscow time (10:15 p.m. GMT) and rescuers spotted it at 04:05
a.m. Moscow time (12:05 GMT). The airliner is thought to have crashed
when it was making another attempt to land.
Russian investigators are studying all versions and have refused to
rule out any possibility.
“The aircraft fell into the sea from an altitude between 30 and 40
meters,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar said
the airliner was making its approach to land, but the air traffic
controller suggested it return to Yerevan due to stormy weather. Later,
however, two runways were made available to the aircraft with
visibility of 100 and 360 meters.
“Visibility was poor, but it was possible to land in such visibility,”
a representative of the local prosecutor’s office said.
Another 22 Emergency Situations Ministry rescuers, including seven
divers, have arrived in the region.

COMPLETE LIST OF A-320 PASSENGERS ISSUED
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 20:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The list of the 113 passengers and 8 crewmembers
killed in the A-320 plane crash near Sochi was published in
Yerevan. There were 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian and one Georgian
citizen aboard. The rest were Armenian citizens.
The number of the Yerevan hotline is (+37-410) 28-63-56. In case of
calling from Russia 8-10-37410-28-63-56 should be dialled.
The number in Moscow (+7 495) 624-37-45 and the numbers in Sochi
(+7 8622) 44-00-88 and 44-12-32.
Here is the complete list of the A-320 passengers
1. Abgaryan Hamlet 2. Avagyan Khachatur 3. Avetisyan Albert
4. Avetyan Grisha 5. Avetyan Meline 6. Azaryan Albert 7. Hakobyan Hayk
8. Hakobyan Aram 9. Hakobyan Zara 10. Hakobyan Seyran 11. Amayakyan
Stepa 12. Hambartsumyan …
13. Antonyan Hayrapet 14. Arakelyan Karine 15. Harutyunyan Ararat
16. Harutyunyan Galina 17. Harutyunyan Spartak 18. Harutyunyan
Usik 19. Asrshakyan Varazdat 20. Baghdasaryan Albert 21. Badalyan
Armen 22. Badalyan Lusine 23. Badoyan Manuk 24. Badoyan Khachatur
25. Balasanyan Rudik 26. Vahanyan Mariam 27. Vardanyan Vardan
28. Galechyan Arshak 29. Galstyan Avik 30. Galstyan Hripsime
31. Gasparyan Sergey 32. Ghdikyan Grigor 33. Gevorgyan Ruben
34. Grigoryan Marine 35. Gyuregyan Mariam 36. Danelyan Lusine
37. Dubrovin Alexey 38. Yeghiazaryan Marina 39. Yerangulyan
Vladimir 40. Yeranyan Abram 41. Zargaryan Zhora 42. Indjigulyan
Eduard 43. Ghazaryan Mariam 44. Karapetyan Albert 45. Karapetyan
Vahan 46. Karapetyan Varsenik 47. Kirakosyan Armenuhi 48. Knyazyan
Grigor 49. Kondakchyan Albert 50. Kostanyan Atom 51. Kochainyan
Artem 52. Kyulyan Marta 53. Kyurekhyan Vagharsh 54. Mailyan Gagik
55. Malkhasyan Margar 56. Mamvelyan Askanaz 57. Mamikonyan Sanasar
58. Mangasaryan Ararat 59. Manukyan Aharon 60. Manutova Elvina
61. Margaryan Arpine 62. Martirosyan Aram 63. Martirosyan Manuk
64. Meliksetuyan Ashot 65. Menagarova Lyusya 66. Mirzoyan Sasha
67. Mirzoyan Elichka 68. Mkrtumyan Manyak 69. Lazarian Artur
70. Lazarian Levon 71. Lazarian Margarit 72. Lazarian Margar
73. Lazarian Flora 74. Mogrovyan Karen 75. Molkhasyan Karapet
76. Nalbandyan Silva 77. Hovakimyan Hovik 78. Hovhannisyan Vram
79. Panoyan Elen 80. Paruyryan Mais 81. Petrosyan Aram 82. Petrosyan
Khumar 83. Piliposyan Mesrop 84. Poghosyan Ruzanna 85. Sahakyan
Lavrenti 86. Sakulyan Anatoly 87. Samsonyan Emma 88. Sargsyan
Gevorg 89. Sevanyan Zemfira 90. Srtlyan Ella 91. Tatevosyan Sirvard
92. Tonakyan Lyusya 93. Torosyan Julietta 94. Tumasyan Artur
95. Khalajyan Susanna 96. Khalatyan Hamest 97. Khachtryan Anahit
98. Khachatryan Beniamin 99. Khachtryan Maria 100. Khachatryan Taron
101. Tsatinyan Gevorg 102. Chinoyan Aida 103. Ebzimyan Harutyun
104. Ebzimyan Nazar 105. Yaralov Vyacheslav

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA DEPARTED FOR CRASH SITE
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 20:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatyan
suggested to wait for the outcomes of the investigation of
Yerevan-Sochi flight crash. “The investigation has not been carried
out yet and I do not want to do premature conclusions. I had a phone
conversation with the Russian party at night. They say the weather
conditions were very bad,” the Ambassador told Armenian journalists
in the airport before departing for Sochi, reported Novosti-Armenia.

RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL OFFICE INITIATED CRIMINAL CASE ON A-320 CRASH
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 20:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The RA Prosecutor General’s Office has initiated
a criminal case on the A-320 Armavia-owned plane crash exercising
Yerevan-Sochi flight, Spokesman of the RA Prosecutor General’s
Office Gurgen Hambaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net. He said preliminarily
the criminal case was initiated in compliance of Article 241 of the
Armenian Penal Code (violation of security rules and operation of
railway, air and water vessels).

ARKADY GHUKASIAN CONVEYED CONDOLENCES TO RELATIVES OF A-320 PASSENGERS
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 20:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NKR President Arkady Ghukasian conveyed condolences
to the relatives of the passengers and crewmembers of A-320 plane that
crashed into the Black Sea near Sochi. “I convey my deepest condolences
to the relatives of the killed passengers and crewmembers. In this
mournful hour I wish them firmness and patience,” the NKR President’s
message says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONVEYED CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES OF PASSENGERS KILLED IN PLANE CRASH
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 19:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian president Robert Kocharian has conveyed
today his condolences to the relatives of 113 passengers of
Yerevan-Adler flight and eight members of the crew who died in the
crash near Sochi.
“It was with a big sadness that I have learned about the crash. I
convey my deep condolences to the relatives and beloved of the
passengers and crew members. I assure that the families of the
killed passengers will get all necessary assistance and support. The
authorities will exercise every effort to detect the reasons of the
crash,” Robert Kocharian’s message says.

MAY 5 AND 6 DECLARED MOURNING DAYS IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 19:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian proclaimed May 5
and 6 the days of mourning for the passengers killed the Yerevan-Sochi
crash, reported the RA leader’s press service. To remind, May 3 night
À-320 Armavia-owned plane crashed into the Black Sea most likely
over bad weather conditions. The plane was conveying 113 passengers
including 23 Russian citizens. They all died. The place was trying
to land in the airport of Adler, however the control officers did not
allow the landing because of bad weather conditions. The communication
with the plane was lost at 2.12 a.m., six minutes before the scheduled
landing in the Sochi (Adler) airport. A criminal case according to
Article 263.2 of the Penal Code (violation of operation of an aircraft)
was initiated.
The A-320 wreckage of the plane lay 300 meter deep in the Emeretin bay.
–Boundary_(ID_sYmS6cMIE2eCRRc9qMO5lw)–

SPECIALISTS DON’T EXCLUDE A-320 RECORD BOXES WON’T BE FOUND
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 19:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Official representative of the Russian Ministry for
Emergency Situations Victor Beltsov said the bad weather conditions
are considered to be the principal cause of the crash. It was due
to heavy meteorological conditions that the crew requested for
crash landing twice. Bodies of 38 passengers of the Yerevan-Sochi
flight have been already found. The rescue works are being impeded
by heavy meteorological conditions. The speed of the wind at the
site reaches 10-11 meters per second and tends to increase. 23 boats
and a deep-diving vehicle “Gnom” that allows to make examinations
at the depth of 400 meters are at the site now. A special echo-lead
that can fix big objects is also used. According to the Russian MES,
the wrecks of the plane lay deep in the sea. Specialists do not rule
out that the record boxes won’t be found.

ARMAVIA’S A-320 PASSENGER PLANE CRASHES NEAR SOCHI
AZG Armenian Daily
03/05/2006
ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER GOES TO SOCHI TO INVESTIGATE INTO CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE A-320 CRASH
Yerevan, May 3. ArmInfo. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan held
an extraordinary meeting in connection with the crash of Armavia’s
A-320 plane in Sochi.
—————————————— ————————————–
Attending the meeting were Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Defence
Minister Serzh Sargsyan, Territorial Administration Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan, Prosecutor General Agvan Hovsepyan, Chief of Police Hayk
Haroutyunyan, Chief of National Security Service Gorik Hakopyan,
Head of Chief Department of Civil Aviation Artem Movsissyan.
————————————- ——————————————-
The presidential press service says that Movsissyan reported to
the president on the crash. Kocharyan instructed Defence Minister,
Co-Chair of Armenian-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission Serzh
Sargsyan to go to Sochi to inquire into the circumstances of the
tragedy. A special commission led by Territorial Administration
Minister Hovik Abrahamyan will bring the bodies of the victims to
Armenia and will organize their funerals.
————————————— —————————————–
Prosecu tor General Agvan Hovsepyan said that his office has instituted
a criminal action. Earlier the prosecutor’s office of Krasnodar region
(Russia) instituted criminal proceedings according to article 263
of Russia’s Criminal Code (violation of the rules of security during
aircraft operation causing the death of two and more people).
—————————————- —————————————-
To remind, Armavia’s A-320 plane flying from Yerevan to Sochi crashed
near Sochi 02:15 AM. 113 people (6 children) were onboard. 26 of
them were Russian citizens, 1 woman was from Ukraine, the rest were
Armenian citizens.
————————————— —————————————–
Armavia has opened a hot-line in Yerevan: (+37410) 28-63-56.
————————————— —————————————–
To remind, June 2005 100% of Armavia’s shares were bought by President
of Mika Armenia Trading Mikhail Bagdassarov. In 2005 Armavia’s
passenger turnover was 507,000 people against 380,000 in 2004. In 2004
the crashed A-320 was leased from Vermille International Services B.V.
——————————————– ————————————
77 ARMENIAN AND 28 RUSSIAN CITIZENS WERE ONBOARD THE CRASHED ARMAVIA
PLANE
Yerevan, May 3. ArmInfo. 77 Armenian citizens and 28 Russian citizens,
mostly of Armenian origin, were onboard Armavia’s A-320 plane which
crashed 5 km of Sochi this night, says the head of the chief department
of civil aviation of Armenia Artem Movsissyan.
A total of 113 people were onboard, with the bodies of only 18 ones
found to date.
Movsissyan says that the plane took off from Yerevan 01:47 AM. Because
of bad weather over Georgia the captain decided to go back to Yerevan,
but the controller said that the weather was improving and the plane
could land in Sochi. 03:15 AM the plane disappeared.
According to the preliminary information, the plane crashed because
of bad weather, but the final answer will be given only after the
investigation. Movsissyan says that before the flight the plane was
in normal technical condition and its 10 tons of fuel were enough for
coming back to Yerevan – from Yerevan to Sochi a plane consumes only
3.5 tons of fuel.
Movsissyan says that A-320 was produced in 1995 and was insured.
Today the Armenian President called a meeting and gave instructions to
relevant services. One more Armavia plane with relatives and experts
onboard flew to Sochi today morning.
—————————————- —————————————-
ARMAVIA’ S A-320 PASSENGER PLANE CRASHES NEAR SOCHI
Yerevan, May 3. ArmInfo. A-320 plane of the Armavia company (Armenia)
crashed near Sochi (Russia) today 03:38 AM.
The press secretary of the chief department of civil aviation of
Armenia Gayane Davtyan says that the plane with 105 people onboard
was flying from Yerevan to Sochi. When approaching Sochi, because of
bad weather, the crew was told to make one more turn and suddently
disappeared. Some time later its debris were found in the sea.
According to the preliminary information, all passengers and crew –
65 men, 36 women, 6 children and 8 pilots died.
Davtyan says that 9 experts have gone to Sochi to inquire into the
circumstances of the crash.
—————————————— ————————————–
18 BODIES OF PASSENGERS OF ARMAVIA’S CRASHED PLANE FOUND IN BLACK SEA
Yerevan, May 3. ArmInfo. 18 bodies of passengers of the crashed A-320
plane of the Armavia company (Armenia) have been found in the Black
Sea, report Russian sources. Also found are debris, fragments of
bodies, baggage. The plane fell 300 meters deep into the sea.
It was produced by Airbus Industry, the biggest European concern,
in 1987 for short and medium distance flight. It flew for the first
time Feb 22 1987.
The search is underway. The plane was making a crash landing. It
flew from Yerevan to Sochi and got lost from radars 02:15 AM. The
prosecutor’s office of Sochi has instituted criminal proceedings in
the case “violation of the rules of aircraft exploitation.”
———————————- ———————————————-
AR MENIAN PRESIDENT EXTENDS HIS CONDOLENCES TO RELATIVES AND FRIENDS
OF THOSE KILLED IN TODAY’S AIR CRASH
Yerevan, May 3. ArmInfo. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan extended
his deep condolences to the relatives and friends of the passengers
and the pilots of the Armavia’s plane that crashed today night while
flying from Yerevan to Sochi.
“I was deeply grieved to learn about the night crash.
I extend my deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of the
passengers and the pilots. I assure that all the aggrieved families
will be provided with support and our authorities will do their best
to find out the reasons of the crash,” says Kocharyan.

AZERBAIJAN US’S ‘KEY ALLY’ AND ‘PRECIOUS PARTNER’
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
03/05/2006
The April 28 meeting between president Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
and his US counterpart George W. Bush almost got no coverage in Azeri
and Turkish press. The reason must be lack of information. As to the
Turkish Public TV, it considers the White Home reception of Aliyev
a step to keep Azerbaijan back from Russia.
This view of the Turkish TV was indirectly confirmed by the White
House spokesperson Scott Mcclellan dubbing Azerbaijan “key ally” and
“precious partner” of the USA in a strategically important region.
One may assume that Azerbaijan – US’s precious partner and key ally
– should desist from getting closer to Russia and should not try to
counterbalance US influence with the Russian one and should in the
meantime back Washington in the Iranian issue.
Meanwhile, Aliyev declared in Washington that Azerbaijan will not
take part in possible assault on its southern neighbor.
The presumption that president Aliyev could be successful in offering
support in the Iran standoff against US support in Nagorno Karabakh
issue did not come true. Both presidents did not mention the Karabakh
issue at the meeting with journalists. Ilham Aliyev only familiarized
president Bush with Azerbaijan’s stance on the dispute. It’s hard to
say what was president Bush’s response to this, but Baku’s position
should not be something new for Bush.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress