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.

Workers laboured yesterday to raise the plane’s shattered tail section, site of one of the plane’s on-board recorders.

The plane crashed on the opening day of an international forum that was to showcase Yaroslavl as a modern and vibrant Russian city.

Medvedev laid flowers at the crash site yesterday and met with officials, and later opened his speech at the forum by calling for a moment of silence to commemorate the victims.

“The number of air companies should be radically reduced and it’s necessary to do this within the shortest time,” Medvedev said at the meeting. Experts say that smaller carriers sometimes lack funds to properly maintain their fleet and tend to cut corners on safety.

Some hockey fans are laying the blame for the crash on Medvedev’s forum, which was held in the Lokomotiv arena,making it impossible for the team to play its first game of the season at home.

Transport Minister Igor Levitin told Medvedev there are about 130 air carriers throughout Russia, but 85% of passengers are carried by just 10 companies.