Russia working on air safety plan after crashes
Source: Reuters
OTTAWA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Russia is developing a formal plan to boost aviation safety in the wake of three crashes last year that killed hundreds of people, Transport Minister Igor Levitin said on Tuesday. Critics variously blame the disasters on poor training, often outdated planes and sometimes primitive infrastructure in what is the world's largest country. "In the first half of this year Russia will draw up a state program on flight safety," Levitin told reporters during an official visit to Canada, saying Moscow wanted to improve pilot training and might also buy modern equipment. In July 2006 an Airbus A-310 operated by S7 Airlines crashed at Irkutsk airport in Siberia, killing 125 passengers and crew. The initial accident report blamed the crew. In August, a Tupolev Tu-154 flown by Pulkovo airlines crashed in Ukraine, killing all 170 people on board. In May, all 113 people on board an Armenian Airbus A-320 died when it crashed near the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. "Of course the two crashes (in Russia) were a big tragedy but as a whole, in 2005 and 2006, there were a series of major air disasters all over the world," Levitin said. Last November, Levitin asked Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov to approve the sacking of Valery Saleyev, who heads Russia's overall transportation watchdog. Fradkov has yet to take a decision on the matter. Levitin said he would give more details of Russia's safety plan to the head of the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal on Wednesday.
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