MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Chief of Russia’s Investigations Committee Alexander Bastrykin who visited the Boeing 737-800 crash site in Russia’s southern city of Rostov-on-Don on Sunday has referred the investigation to the Committee’s major cases department.
"Having visited the crash site, Alexander Bastrykin inspected the work of the investigative team, heard preliminary results and issues a number of instruction, including on referring this case to the major cases department of the Russian Investigations Committee," Committee’s Spokesman Vladimir Markin told TASS.
"Investigation of the crash is under personal control of the Investigations Committee chairman," Markin said.
A FlyDubai’s Boeing 737-800 crashed at Rostov-on-Don’s airport in the small hours on March 19 during a second attempt to land in complicated weather conditions of strong side wind and rain. The plane served regular Flight FZ 981 from Dubai. The passenger jet capable of carrying 189 passengers had 62 people aboard, including the crew. None has survived.
The investigation looks into several leads: a pilot error, a technical malfunction, bad weather conditions, and others.
The Investigations Committee Spokesman reminded that the plane’s voice and flight data recorders have been referred to the Interstate Aviation Committee for deciphering. "Apart from that, investigators are studying flight documentation and the actions of the airport’s emergencies services," Markin said. "After samples are taken for comparative studies a forensic genetic expertise will be appointed to identify the crash victims.".