| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Generals Crashed in the Rear
Mi-8 helicopter of the 58th Army crashed September 11, 2006 near Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, killing at least seven of 15 generals and senior officers of Defense Ministry’s Rear Commission that was to inspect Khankala military base in Chechnya.
Yesterday, Mi-8 helicopter of the 58th Army took off at around 5:20 p.m. from the military airdrome close to Ossetia’s Gizel-village. It had three crew members and 12 passengers. The passengers were the members of Defense Ministry's Rear Service Commission assigned to check winter preparations for soldiers accommodated in Chechnya.
But the helicopter didn't reach the Chechen Khankala military base that day. Instead, Mi-8 fell down two kilometers away from the village, having crashed against the mountain covered by wood.
According to rescuers, the impact broke Mi-8 into two - a fuselage and a tail. The fuel that leaked from one of the tanks burst into flames and fire ran through the wreckage in no time. Having put the blaze out, the rescuers found seven bodies and one person went missing. Those survived left the helicopter before the fire. Of them, many had got severe injuries on impact.
At least three injured died en route to the military hospital, according to sources with Emergency Ministry of North Ossetia. The military said they won’t comment on casualties till the definite information is available.
The crash killed Maj Gen Vladimir Sorokin, chief of the North Caucasus Rear Service Staff, spokesmen of Russia’s Defense Ministry announced Monday.
The reason of the crash hasn’t been determined so far, but the military rule out the possibility of terror act.
“We have not data allowing to say that the helicopter was shot down from the ground,” spokesmen of the North Ossetia’s Interior Ministry said. “More likely than not, the crash was of purely technical nature.” The military experts think the same, supposing a fire broke on board of Mi-8 once the fuel or oil leaked from reduction gear of the lifting propeller. The crew attempted a distress landing but crashed against the mountain.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 12, 2006
|
|
|
