Investigators on Tuesday started decoding flight recorders retrieved from a Tu-204 passenger jet that crashed while approaching Moscow's Domodedovo Airport in heavy fog, injuring the eight crew members on board the otherwise empty plane.
Crash investigators are considering three main causes of the accident: poor weather, pilot error or a lack of jet fuel, Rossia television reported.
It was unclear when information from the flight recorders would be released.
The plane, operated by state-controlled Aviastar airline, plowed into a forest near Domodedovo Airport at 2:35 a.m. Monday after the pilots radioed the control tower that they wanted to make an emergency landing.
The flight, which was returning from the Egyptian resort of Hurgada after dropping off 210 passengers, had made an emergency landing at Domodedovo on Sunday when thick smoke filled the cabin shortly after takeoff for Hurgada. Crash investigators said Monday that the incident was not linked to the crash.
The plane's captain, Alexander Kosyakov, 52, and another crew member, Sergei Goryachev, 32, remained hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday, said Viktor Romanov, a doctor at the hospital in the nearby town of Domodedovo, RIA-Novosti reported.
Romanov said there was no threat to their lives.
The other six crew members at the hospital have been moved from the intensive care unit to a regular ward, the report said.
The plane, which broke into several pieces upon impact, will have to be discarded because of the damage, Interfax reported, citing an official with the airline's owner, Aviastar-Tu.
"The jet suffered serious damage, and it is highly unlikely that it can be fixed," the unidentified official said.
Aviastar is also affiliated with Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar SP, which produces the Tu-204.
Monday's crash was the first for the Tu-204, which entered mass production in 1994 and is Russia's most modern aircraft. More than 40 aircraft are in service, and the main Russian operator is Red Wings, which has nine of the twin-engine jets in its fleet.
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.
Remind me later.