By agreement with the Russian authorities, the BEA is issuing the following communiqué:

On 2 Mai 2006 (3 May local time), on approach to runway 06 at Sochi airport at night, in poor visibility conditions, the Airbus A 320 registered EK-32009, operated by Armavia, crashed into the sea. The one hundred and five passengers and eight crew members were killed in the accident. The aeroplane was destroyed on impact and sank into the sea 6.7 kilometres from the coast, at a depth of up to seven hundred metres.

The technical investigation is being led by the Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) with representatives of three government agencies, the Rostransnadzor (safety oversight), the Rosaviatsia (aerodromes), and the Rosaeronavigatsig (air traffic control). In accordance with international regulations relating to civil aviation accidents, Armenia and France are associated with the investigation.

The Interstate Aviation Committee has analysed the data from the ground recordings available, including the ATC communications (initial and intermediate approach and control tower) and radar information. It has already been established that during the approach cleared to runway 06, as a result of the worsening meteorological conditions, the controller asked the crew to abort the descent, turn right and climb.

The aeroplane climbed during the initial phase but then lost altitude and crashed into the sea. The last radio transmission from the crew was recorded at 02 h 12 min 34 s local time. The last radar plot was recorded at 02 h 13 min 02 s.