Body fragments and huge aircraft wreckage found at Tu-142 crash area

10.11.2009
Body fragments of pilots and huge aircraft wreckage of Tu-142M3 were found in Tatarskiy Strait, said sources in Russian Investigative Committee and EMERCOM.

Human remains were sent to medico-legal examination. In laboratory they will be compared with samples taken from relatives of pilots missed.

The aircrew of Tu-142M3 had minimal chance to survive, reports RIA Novosti referring to informed source from naval aviation. According to the source, Tu-142 aircrafts have no catapult and in emergency situation it is very difficult to execute whole range of life-saving activities.

Families of pilots will be rendered with material aid, but the sum has not been specified yet, said representative of Vanino municipal administration, Khabarovsky Krai.

Search and picking up wreckage of Tu-142M3 aircraft is being continued in Tatarskiy Strait. It was determined that six large fragments of fuselage lifted from the sea bottom belong to the crashed aircraft.

Over 100 aircraft wreckages were found, picked up and inspected during the first phase of investigation.

Pacific Fleet's rescue vessel Alagez to arrive from Vladivostok to search area Tuesday noon. There are 20 divers on board capable to operate at depth down to 200 m, newest rescue system Kalmar, remotely controlled submersibles Tiger, Obzor and manned submersible AS-30. It is expected that efficiency of search works will significantly increase with the rescue vessel.

Pacific Fleet's aircraft Tu-142M3 performing training mission over Khabarovsky Krai on Nov 6, disappeared from radars at 02:19 pm Moscow time and fell down in Tatarskiy Strait near Cape Sadinga north Silantyev Bay. There were 11 men on board the aircraft. A criminal case was initiated on the basis of RF Criminal Code's clause 351 ("Violation of flight rules and pre-flight instructions"). There are three basic versions of the accident currently considered – breakdown, human factor and external agency (entry of birds into engine).

Aircrafts of 11th army and EMERCOM, helicopter, PF naval vessels, harbor tugs, passenger ferries Sakhalin-9 and Sakhalin-10 are involved in the SR operation led by Vice Admiral Konstantin Sidenko, Pacific Fleet Commander. It was previously said by the source from Far East Command that by the morning of Nov 8 search of onboard recorder was meaningless as data recorded could not be stored longer than 36 hours in sea water. However, Vice Admiral Konstantin Sidenko, Pacific Fleet Commander confuted that information and added that search of blackbox is in progress.

Tu-142 (on NATO classification – Bear-F) is a long-range antisubmarine aircraft commissioned in Navy in 1971. It was designed in 1968 for search, detection and destruction of enemy's submarines; it is based on long-range bomber Tu-95RTs. First modernized Tu-142M3 was produced in 1975, the last – in 1994. Distinctive features of M3 variant comparing with basic Tu-142 are Zarechye radiohydroacoustic subsystem and few constructional upgrades.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: Tu-142M3 (airwar.ru)