The investigation into the plane crash in Russia, in which mercenary leader Prigozhin is said to have been killed, continues. What insights do the flight recorders that have now been recovered provide? And what do the investigators do if it wasn’t an accident?
Two days after a plane crash in Russia, in which Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigoshin is said to have died, the flight recorders were recovered and debris from the machine was taken away for investigation. This was reported by the state news agency RIA from the crash site in the Tver region near the town of Kushenkino.
The central investigative committee in Moscow informed on Friday evening about the salvage of the flight recorders, the evaluation of which should provide conclusions about the cause of the crash. A Ria video showed a large piece of wreckage being driven away wrapped in a truck.
The flight recorder, also called a black box, records flight data. He is usually well protected. The data it contains is intended to help clarify the situation in the event of an accident. For example, if there were errors in the crew, this could be recognized by behavior patterns and noises.
Speculations about the cause of the crash
The cause of the crash about halfway between Moscow and St. Petersburg is still unclear. In addition to the possibility of an accident, there is speculation that the plane could have been brought down on purpose. A preliminary assessment by the US secret service comes to the conclusion that the crash was deliberately caused by an explosion, according to Western sources. The blast fits President Vladimir Putin’s long-standing efforts to silence his critics.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any involvement of the Kremlin in the plane crash. “Right now, of course, there is a lot of speculation about this plane crash and the tragic death of the passengers on the plane, including Yevgeny Prigozhin,” Peskov said. “Of course in the West these speculations are presented from a certain angle and all of it is a complete lie.”
Russia’s president himself has at least indirectly confirmed Prigozhin’s presumed death. In a televised session, Putin offered his condolences to Prigozhin’s family, speaking in the past tense: “He was a person with a complicated fate and he made serious mistakes.” At the same time, the businessman and mercenary boss has achieved results – for himself and for the common cause, said Putin.
According to the passenger list, Prigozhin is on board
According to the Russian aviation authority, all ten occupants were killed in the crash. According to the passenger list, Prigozhin and other leading members of the Wagner mercenary group were on board the plane. An official confirmation of his death is still pending. According to reports from some military bloggers, the bodies found were already examined on Thursday. The investigative commission responsible announced on Friday evening that the identity of the dead would now be clarified using molecular-genetic analyses. Investigations continued at the crash site itself.