Russian airplane bombings of August 24, 2004 Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
On August 24, 2004, two passenger aircraft flying domestic routes in Russia were simultaneously blown up, both crashing at approximately 23:00. Both planes had flown out of Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow.Note: All times quoted below are local times, UTC +4. All events occurred in the same time zone.
The first to crash was Volga-AviaExpress Flight 1303, a Tu-134 airplane, registered RA-65080. The plane was flying from Moscow to Volgograd. It left Domodedovo International Airport at 22:30. Communication with the plane was lost while it was flying over Tula Oblast, 180 km south-east of Moscow. The remains of the airplane were found on the ground several hours later. Witnesses on the ground claim to have seen a strong explosion on the plane before it crashed.
34 passengers and 9 crew members were onboard the plane. All of them died in the crash.
Just minutes after the first crash, Siberia Airlines Flight 1047, which had left Domodedovo International Airport at 21:35, disappeared from the radar screens and crashed. The Tu-154 airplane, registered RA-85556, which had been in service since 1982, was flying from Moscow to Sochi. According to an unnamed government source of the Russian news agency Interfax, the plane had broadcast a hijack warning, while flying over Rostov Oblast at about 23:00.
The plane disappeared from radar screens shortly after that and crashed. 38 passengers and 8 crew members were onboard the plane. All died.
The debris of the airplane was found on the morning of August 25, 9 km from Glubokoye village in Kamenec-Shahtiskiy Rayon of Rostov Oblast.
The two almost simultaneous crashes caused speculations about terrorism. President Vladimir Putin immediately ordered the Federal Security Service (FSB) to investigate the crashes. By August 28, the FSB had found traces of the explosive hexogen in the remains of both planes. Itar-Tass news agency reported on August 30, "without a shadow of a doubt", the FSB security service said that "both airplanes were blown up as a result of a terrorist attack."
Early reports said that investigations centred around two female passengers from the troubled Chechnya region, one on each plane - possibly suicide bombers.
A previously unknown group called the Islambouli Brigades claimed responsibility; the truth of those claims remains uncertain. The Islambouli Brigades have also claimed that five of their members were on each plane; experts are skeptical about the possibility of (and the need for) so many terrorists on board.
The bombings preceded other bloody attacks in Russia soon afterwards: on August 31 a bomb killed 10 at a Moscow subway station, and then the Beslan hostage crisis began on September 1, which would leave over 335 people dead, many of them children.
This is an Article on Russian airplane bombings of August 24, 2004. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Russian airplane bombings of August 24, 2004 Volga-AviaExpress Flight 1303
Siberia Airlines Flight 1047
Investigation and aftermath
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