Airport, Baltic States – CIS, Crime, Latvia, Russia, Transport

Police representative Ilze Jurevica told LETA that the criminal investigation was started over a violation of air traffic safety or aircraft operation rules, or deliberate operation of a technically impaired aircraft. Such an offense carries a jail term of up to three years, community service or a fine.

The criminal proceedings have been started over the fact of the accident and no arrests have been made in the case as yet.

Police investigators will probe the accident in collaboration with the Transport Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau, an agency working under the Latvian Transport Ministry.

Visvaldis Trubs, the head of the aviation accident and incident investigation department at the Transport Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau, told LETA that for the time being the bureau has no information that would allow to determine the cause of the accident at Riga airport.

He added that the Transport Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau would not comment on its hypotheses or assumptions about the accident.

“The FDR (flight data recorder) and CVR (cockpit voice recorder) have been collected, there will be more clarity when their recordings are deciphered,” Trubs said.

As reported, a Vim Airlines charter flight from the Russian city of Ufa got into an accident at Riga International Airport last Friday when the aircraft started skidding on the runway before takeoff, the airport’s representatives informed.

There were 43 passengers and seven crewmembers on board the plane, but none of them was injured in the accident.

The runway was closed down for several hours and examined for technical issues.