Support The Moscow Times!

Lone Lokomotiv Crash Survivor Regains Consciousness

Alexander Sizov, the lone remaining survivor of the plane crash that wiped out Yaroslavl's elite Lokomotiv hockey team last week, has regained consciousness at a Moscow hospital, RIA-Novosti reported.

Sizov, a flight attendant, is in serious but stable condition at the Sklifosovsky Medical Center. He has burns to 15 percent of his body, a head injury and broken bones, including both femurs.

Investigators have said they want to question Sizov, but hospital director Anzor Khubutia told NTV television that medics would not authorize any interviews until at least the end of this week.

Following the death of Lokomotiv winger Alexander Galimov on Monday, Sizov is now the only person to have survived the Yak-42 crash, which took place near Yaroslavl last Wednesday and claimed 44 lives.

Galimov, 26, who had severe burns, struggled for five days, but doctors said he had no chance of surviving. He was laid to rest in Yaroslavl on Tuesday at a funeral attended by some 10,000 mourners, Interfax said.

Officials have maintained silence on what caused the crash, but Moskovsky Komsomolets said Tuesday that a blatant pilot error, dubbed “a blonde's mistake,” was to blame.

The pilots forgot to switch off the parking brake during takeoff, which prevented the jet from gaining sufficient speed, the daily said, citing an unidentified aviation industry source close to the investigation.

Investigators did not comment on the report, but the newspaper said the Interstate Aviation Committee might release the results of its probe on Wednesday.

Earlier reports said both pilots were highly experienced.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more