Moldova did not received permission from Iraqi authorities to investigate the plane crash
The “black box” of the AN-26 aircraft that crashed on January 9 in Iraq will be brought to Moldova only after the Iraqi authorities will allow the Moldovan group to conduct investigations, deputy chief of the Civil Aviation Authority (ASAC) Iurie Zidu told Info-prim Neo.
As Zidu says, Iraq did not received permission to start investigations yet, but ASAC is hoping that the authorisation will come shortly. Afterwards, the investigation group will leave for Iraq and will study the flight recorder, kept by the American authorities in Iraq at present.
According to the source, the decoding of the flight recorder could help finding out the real cause of the plane crash. Two completely different causes are set forth so far.
According to preliminary reports from the Turkish and Moldovan authorities, AN-26 aircraft had crashed on a landing attempt in foggy conditions on "Anaconda" airport in Balad, north of Iraqi capital.
At the same time, there is evidence that the plane has been shot down by a missile that hit the right side of the aircraft. Concomitantly, the extremist paramilitary group, the Islamic Army, said it is responsible for the plane crash. Residents of Balad said that hours after the crash leaflets were distributed in the town saying a Sunni Arab insurgent group, the Islamic Army, had shot down the plane with a missile. The US military, which controls Iraqi air space, declined to comment.
In addition, ASAC deputy head said if it is confirmed that the plane was shot down with a missile, then the United States, which did not ensure the flight safety, will be to blame for the crash. “Previously, the American side has ensured flight safety within a radius of 3 miles around its military base “Anaconda”, stated Zidu.
Five citizens of Moldova, the crew members of the AN-26 aircraft, lost their lives in the plane crash, with other 29 passengers on board. Only one Turkish citizen has survived the crash.
The bodies of the 33 Turkish citizens and of the crew members have been transported on January 10 by a special airline to Adana, from where the crashed plane had taken off to Iraq. DNA expertise is carried out at present to identify the victims, and afterwards the bodies of the crew members will be transported to Moldova.
Director of "Aerian-Tur M" Company Sergiu Caraus told Info-Prim Neo that the Moldovan pilots have been already identified, but Turkish authorities did not give permission to transport the bodies to Moldova. The reason cited by the Turkish is the fact that not all the crash victims, citizens of Turkey, have been identified. “As soon as we are announced, we will transport the victims’ bodies back home”, the source said.
As Caraus says, the Company will cover the costs related to the transportation, funerals, places at the cemetery, and headstones. Concurrently, it was opened an account for raising money, offered especially by other air companies, which will be distributed to the families of the dead pilots, along with the insurance premiums, director of "Aerian-Tur M" Company Sergiu Caraus specified for Info-Prim Neo.