The driver of a snow plow involved in a fatal collision with a jet carrying former CEO of Total oil major Christophe de Margerie has pleaded guilty, his lawyer told the Interfax news agency Thursday.
Vladimir Martynenko was behind the wheel of a snow plow on the night of Oct. 21, 2014 at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport, when it crashed into a Dassault Falcon business jet about to take off for Paris.
All passengers and crew on board the jet, including de Margerie and three French crew members, died in the fire that followed the collision.
Martynenko, who was unhurt, was accused of violating transportation safety rules leading to the deaths of two or more people — a charge that carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.
Three other defendants in the case — traffic controller Alexander Kruglov, senior engineer Vladimir Ledenev and aircraft controller Roman Dunayev — have also been charged. A fourth defendant, Svetlana Krivsun, who worked as a trainee air traffic controller at the time of the crash, was cleared of charges earlier this month, Interfax reported.
Martynenko's lawyer, Alexander Karabanov, told the Interfax news agency that safety procedures at the airport had not changed since the tragic incident.
Known as the "The Big Mustache," de Margerie was a vocal supporter of cooperation with Russia, a key market for his company.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
