Ukraine’s Prosecutor General has ruled out sabotage as the cause of the helicopter crash in Brovary in January that claimed the lives of 14 people including the country’s interior minister.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Andriy Kostin said the investigation into the cause of the tragedy was still ongoing and was now examining three other possible causes including pilot error and adverse weather conditions.
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"I can say in advance that the versions related to sabotage or encroachment on the lives of government officials has been ruled out," Kostin said.
He further mentioned that the final conclusions of the pre-trial investigation will be announced by the Prosecutor General's Office in the near future.
Just after 8 a.m. on Jan. 18 a helicopter crashed next to a kindergarten and a residential building in Brovary, a commuter town around 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Kyiv.
Fourteen people were killed both on the helicopter and on the ground, including Monastyrsky, his deputy, Yevhen Yenin, State Secretary Yuriy Lubkovy and a child.
The investigation is ongoing, with specialists from Airbus Helicopters company, the Ministry of Defense, the National Police, and the National Guard collaborating on the case.
Kostin stated that all necessary technical documents have been collected, and the essential examinations are nearing completion.
"Thanks to assistance from our French partners at Airbus, the flight recorders have been deciphered, and a 3-D simulation of the tragic flight has been conducted based on the collected data," the Prosecutor General explained.
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On January 18 of this year, a helicopter belonging to the State Emergency Service crashed in Brovary, carrying the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including Minister Denys Monastyrskyi.
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