All news

Belly-landed Airbus A321’s first officer discharged from hospital

On Saturday, the entire crew of the plane, including pilot-in-command Damir Yusupov and first officer Georgy Murzin, attended a football match in Yekaterinburg
Ural Airlines' Airbus A321 co-pilot Georgy Murzin (L) and flight attendant Yana Yagodina during a football match in Yekaterinburg  Donat Sorokin/TASS
Ural Airlines' Airbus A321 co-pilot Georgy Murzin (L) and flight attendant Yana Yagodina during a football match in Yekaterinburg
© Donat Sorokin/TASS

YEKATERINBURG, August 17. /TASS/. Georgy Murzin, a first officer who sustained chest contusion during his plane’s belly landing at a cornfield near Moscow earlier this week, has been discharged from hospital, Commercial Director of the airline Kirill Skuratov told TASS on Saturday.

"He is receiving out-patient treatment, everything is fine," Skuratov said.

A TASS correspondent reported earlier on Saturday that the entire crew of the plane, including pilot-in-command Damir Yusupov and first officer Georgy Murzin, attended a Russian Premier League football match in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. Prior to the start of the game, the crewmembers walked onto the field to the applause of the crowd. They greeted fans of both teams and made photographs with footballers. After that, Yusupov made a ceremonial kickoff.

On August 15, the Ural Airlines Airbus A321 with over 230 people aboard, including 41 children, was heading to Simferopol from Moscow when it struck a flock of birds shortly after takeoff. Both of the aircraft’s engines sucked in some of them and caught fire. The crew managed to land the plane in a cornfield and evacuate all passengers.

According to latest updates, 76 people, including 19 children, received minor injuries during the crash-landing. One woman was taken to hospital.

On August 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed the Hero of Russia titles on the two Ural Airlines pilots. Other crewmembers have been awarded the Orders of Courage.