A Top Russian Government Official Is Worried

Ria Novosti reports Russia's top prosecutor has questioned the safety of his country's airlines.

Russia's prosecutor-general Yury Chaika spoke to Russian transport ministry officials during a meeting last week. The meeting was prompted by an increasing number of aviation accidents involving Russian airlines.

Just last August, ANN reported 171 people died when a Tupolev Tu-154 went down in stormy weather enroute to St. Petersburg. The crew aboard that aircraft reported a fire before crashing. Aircraft accidents in Russia have claimed over 300 lives to date this year. Chaika says that exceeds last year's rate.

Prosecutors and ministry officials have been investigating the country's airports, airlines and agencies responsible for government oversight of the airline industry.

Chaika says his investigators have discovered some chilling data. He claims state regulatory agencies aren't doing their jobs. Airlines and airports aren't obtaining the proper certificates and permits. The government found Elista Airport in southern Russia lacked operating certificates and ordered the facility closed.

And even more alarming, there is evidence of the widespread use of low-quality -- even counterfeit -- aircraft parts by Russian airlines. The prosecutor's office has launched an industry-wide investigation to determine just how bad that problem is.

In one case, authorities confiscated around 40 forged stamps and seals used by suppliers and inspectors to mark and verify the authenticity of documentation accompanying parts.

Its unclear at this point exactly what steps the Russian government will take to bring its airlines and agencies back into compliance.

Chaika says "The growing number of incidents involving air carriers fuels fear in society and promotes a lack of trust in domestic carriers, which is a major blow to Russia's image."

FMI: www.russianembassy.org