Medvedev demands swift changes to airline sector in wake of crash

RUSSIA’S President Dmitry Medvedev called for immediate changes in his country’s troubled aviation industry — including sharply reducing the number of airlines — as the country mourned a crash that killed 43 people and devastated a top ice hockey team.

The crash on Wednesday killed 36 players, coaches and staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, including European and former NHL players, drawing attention to the poor air safety records of Russia and other former Soviet republics. Experts blame the problems on an aging fleet, weak government controls, poor pilot training and a cost-cutting mentality.

Investigators could not immediately pinpoint what caused the Yak-42 jet to crash into the banks of the Volga River after takeoff from Yaroslavl, 240km northeast of Moscow.