2004 Russian aircraft bombings
Bombing | |
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Date | 24 August 2004 |
Summary | Suicide bombings |
Site | Adler-Sochi International Airport, Sochi |
Passengers | 38 |
Crew | 8 |
Fatalities | 46 |
Survivors | 0 |
On the night of 24 August 2004, explosive devices were detonated on board two domestic passenger flights that had taken off from
Subsequent investigations concluded that two Chechen female
Flights
Note: All times quoted below are local times, UTC +4. All events occurred in the same country.
Volga-AviaExpress Flight 1303
The first to crash was
The flight recorders were recovered from the crash site. The flight data recorder showed that the plane was cruising uneventfully at 8,100 metres (26,600 ft), before indicating some type of high energy event likely originating near the right hand side of the aircraft at seat row 19. Both recorders stopped recording within 2–3 seconds of this event. This was followed by the separation of the fuselage at that location an undetermined amount of time afterward.[4]
Siberia Airlines Flight 1047
Just minutes after the first crash,
The flight recorders were also recovered in this case; the flight data recorder along with wreckage analysis suggested an almost identical high-energy event to the one seen on Flight 1303 took place near the right hand side of the aircraft at seat row 25, while the aircraft was cruising at 12,100 metres (39,700 ft). The blast resulted in a rapid decompression of the cabin, damage to the elevator and rudder controls, a substantial loss of electrical power, and severe damage to the fuselage and tail components. The
Responsibility
The two almost simultaneous crashes caused speculations about terrorism.
The subsequent investigation found that the bombs were triggered by two female Chechen suicide bombers, Grozny residents Satsita Dzhebirkhanova (Siberia Airlines Flight 1047) and Amanta Nagayeva (Volga-AviaExpress Flight 1303).[3] Nagayeva's brother had disappeared three years earlier and the family believed he was abducted by Russian forces.[6] Chechen field commander Shamil Basayev took responsibility for the bombings in an open letter published on the Chechen separatists' websites on 17 September 2004.[7] He claimed that the aircraft bombings cost him US$4,000 in total.[7] He has also denied the Islambouli Brigade's claims.[citation needed]
The bombings followed the
Arrests and trials
On 24 August 2004, the bombers were stopped in the airport by police captain Mikhail Artamonov to be searched for weapons and for identification. They were accompanied by two male Chechens. The four of them arrived in Moscow on a flight from Makhachkala. According to the prosecution, Artamonov did not search them, and subsequently was charged with criminal negligence. On 30 June 2005, he was convicted of negligence and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment. An appeal was made against the sentence, and the court subsequently reduced the term to six years.[9]
According to investigators, ticket seller Armen Aratyunyan was bribed approximately €140 to sell tickets to the two women without obtaining their correct IDs. Aratyunyan also helped Dzhebirkhanova to bribe the ticket-checking clerk, Nikolai Korenkov, with €25 to get on board without the proper IDs. On 15 April 2005, Aratyunyan and Korenkov were convicted of giving and taking bribes. They were sentenced to 1.5 years in a settlement colony (settlement colony convicts have more rights and privileges than people in standard colonies).[citation needed]
Twenty-one relatives of the deceased passengers filed a civil suit against the security company responsible for checking the passengers, ZAO East-Line Aviation Security. They demanded 3,000,000 rubles (approximately €86,600 or US$115,000) in damages per victim. The trial in that case started in
References
- ^ Myers, Steven Lee (28 August 2004). "Explosive Suggests Terrorists Downed Plane, Russia Says". The New York Times.
- ^ Clonan, Tom (5 November 2015). "Tom Clonan: Who? How? Why? Figuring out the Russian plane crash". TheJournal.ie.
- ^ (PDF) from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- ^ a b c Министр транспорта Российской Федерации И.Е.Левитин проинформировал журналистов о результатах работы возглавляемой им Государственной комиссии по расследованию причин катастроф самолетов Ту-154 и Ту-134. www.mintrans.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 9 March 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Bomb traces in both Russian jets". BBC. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
- ^ "Russia plane crashes caused by explosives". Associated Press. 30 August 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- ^ a b Dougherty, Jill. "Chechen 'claims Beslan attack'." CNN. Friday 17 September 2004. Retrieved on 31 October 2011.
- ^ "Suicide Bomber Kills 9 at Moscow Subway Station", The New York Times, 1 September 2004
- NEWSru.com. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- NEWSru.com. 22 February 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- NEWSru.com. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- NEWSru.com. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- ^ Voronov, Konstantin (22 October 2007). "Суд дал оценку жизни пассажира // Вынесено решение по иску к авиакомпании S7" (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- ^ Voronov, Konstantin (28 May 2008). "Авиаперевозчика обязали заплатить за теракт // S7 Airlines оказалась в долгу перед погибшими пассажирами" (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- ^ Вины "Сибири" в теракте не нашли (in Russian). Kommersant. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
External links
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- S7 Airlines Statement about the bombing
- (in Russian) Report. Interstate Aviation Committee.
- (in Russian) Выводы Государственной комиссии по установлению причин катастроф воздушных судов ТУ-154 и ТУ-134, произошедших 24.08.2004 – Ministry of Transport
- Investigators probe Russia crashes (CNN).
- Traces of explosives found (CNN).
- 'Terrorist' Bombs Brought Down Russian Planes (Reuters, 30 August 2004).