MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. The decision suspending the operations of the Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft can only be made by appropriate aviation bodies, not citizens signing appeals on the change.org web portal, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.
"At the end of the day, only appropriate aviation bodies should speak about that," he said when asked whether the Kremlin is considering the possibility of satisfying the petition on the website demanding that the operation of the aircraft be suspended, which has already collected over 140,000 signatures.
Peskov confirmed that the Kremlin "has seen the reports on the issue." "But I should reiterate that only the findings of appropriate aviation bodies can be competent," he added.
On May 5, a Sukhoi Superjet 100 en route to Murmansk crash-landed at Sheremetyevo Airport and burst into flames. There were 73 passengers and five crewmembers on board the plane. The tragedy claimed 41 lives.
Based on this fact, a criminal case was launched under Part 3 Section 263 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Violation of safety and operational rules for aircraft which led to the death of two or more people out of negligence"). The major leads of the investigators are the pilots’ incompetence, a technical failure and unfavorable weather conditions.