By Russia has informed Brazil’s aircraft investigation authorities that it will not investigate the downing of the Brazilian-built Embraer jet that killed mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin under “current” international rules, Reuters reported citing the Brazilian agency, Wednesday, August 30, 2023.
Prigozhin, two top Wagner Group officers and four of his bodyguards were among the 10 people killed when an Embraer Legacy 600 private jet crashed north of Moscow last week.
He died two months after launching a brief mutiny against Russia’s defense establishment that posed the biggest challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s government since he came to power in 1999.
Brazil’s CENIPA Aviation Accident Prevention and Research Center said it would join the Russian-led investigation if they were invited and the investigation was carried out according to international rules.
Russian aviation authorities are under no obligation to involve CENIPA, although the US and other Western governments suspect the Kremlin was behind the downing of an Embraer Legacy 600, which had a good safety record, on August 23, 2023.
The Kremlin denies any involvement. Prigozhin publicly criticized Moscow’s demands for its invasion of Ukraine. Wagner’s mercenaries fought on the side of Russia.
According to the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO, based in Montreal, the flight from Moscow to St Petersburg is a domestic flight, so it is not subject to international rules known throughout the industry under the official name “Annex 13”.
“They were not obligated, only advised to do so,” CENIPA head Marcelo Moreno told Reuters after the agency sent an email last week asking Russia whether it would open such an investigation.
“I think it’s very sad,” Cox said after being briefed on Russia’s response.
CENIPA said in an emailed statement that it had a response from the Interstate Aviation Committee
Accident Investigation Commission (IAC) on Tuesday. And Russian authorities said it would not open an investigation under Appendix 13 for now.
In air accident investigations. Experts seek to improve aviation safety without blaming anyone but investigations are often tainted by political interest.
CENIPA and manufacturer Embraer want to prevent future accidents but face challenges in getting information. From the investigation because of sanctions against Russia and Moscow’s reluctance to allow outside surveillance.
Some 802 Embraer regional jets with a capacity of 37 to 50 seats. Built on the same platform as the Legacy 600 aircraft. Are in operation underscoring Brazil’s interest in the investigation.
Jeff Guzzetti, a former US air accident investigator, said Russia should receive help from Brazil
even though CENIPA could only participate remotely.
“If they don’t do so that is a sure sign. That the investigation will not be carried out in a transparent manner.”
The name of this regulation is taken from the annex to the Convention on International Civil Aviation commonly. Known as the 1944 Chicago Convention which represents a simple but effective form of international cooperation that rarely faces challenges. By encouraging very close technical cooperation across political boundaries and avoiding blame issues. Annex 13 is considered to have dramatically improved air safety since its introduction, safety officials said.
Read More : Hearing Scheduled The Day Before Super Tuesday, Trump Will Appeal
