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Rostov-on-Don airport’s runway to be opened on Monday morning

Russian emergencies ministry’s plane will be first to use it, a spokesman for the ministry said

MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. The Rostov-on-Don airport’s runway that was damaged by a FlyDubai passenger jet crash on March 19 will be opened by 08:00 a.m. Moscow time on Monday, March 21 and a Russian emergencies ministry’s plane will be first to use it, a spokesman for the ministry told TASS on Sunday.

"By now, the runway has been completely cleared from the fragments of the crashed plane. Repair works are underway. It is planned to finish these works by 06:00 a.m. Moscow time. The first plane - an An-148 of the Russian emergencies ministry - will land here at 08:00 a.m.," the spokesman said, adding the plane will take rescuers who took part in the clear-up operations.

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.

A spokesman for the Russian emergencies ministry’s operational headquarters told TASS earlier on Sunday the runway at Rostov-on-Don’s airport has been cleared from the fragments of the FlyDubai passenger jet.

The airport’s administration said specialists have begun works to repair the runway that was damaged by the crash. A runway section in an area of 350 square meters is to be repaired. The airport will be opened after the repair words are over.