The Chief of Staff of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces has told reporters that the helicopter that crashed outside of Bishkek in January was in good order at the time. Ruslan Mukanbetov named severe weather conditions and human error as the causes of the crash.
On 17 January a Mi-8 MTV helicopter belonging to the Kyrgyz army crashed on the outskirts of the capital during a training flight. Eleven people were on board at the time, and one military serviceman died; the rest received injuries of varying severity. Two Kyrgyz servicemen were sent to Turkey for treatment.
After the crash, the Kyrgyz military prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case, and investigators began deciphering the black box. At the same time the Ministry of Defense also began an investigation.
According to the Defense Ministry’s press service, the commander of the country’s Air Defense Forces, Kylychbek Aidaraliev, and some of his subordinates were suspended while the investigation was carried out. Aidaraliev was ultimately dismissed from his post, and a temporary acting commander of the country’s Air Defense Forces has been appointed.
