Ukrainian Plane Carrying Spanish Soldiers Crashed In Trabzon Due To Human Mistake

TRABZON - Spanish Deputy Defense Minister Javier Jimenez Ugarte said on Tuesday that investigation carried out so far after the Ukrainian plane carrying Spanish soldiers had crashed in northeastern Trabzon province in May showed that the accident happened due to human mistake.
Ugarte and an accompanying delegation, who came to Trabzon on Monday, visited Trabzon Deputy Governor Erdogan Aygenc.
In the meeting, Aygenc said that they would be more pleased if the group visited Trabzon for historical and touristic purposes, not for the plane crash.
But, Aygenc noted, they met due to a plane crash which deeply hurt both Turkish and Spanish people.
Aygenc said that they shared sorrow of Spanish families and stated that they did their best to heal the wounds after the accident.
Noting that they did not want to experience such a pain again, Aygenc said that efforts to decipher black boxes continued.
Aygenc stressed that the final report would be written according to the report of the team investigating the accident, adding that it was not possible for him to say more on the accident without that report.
Ugarte thanked Turkish officials for their efforts in the wake of the accident.
The Spanish government was sure that Turkish officials would be objective in the report to be prepared, carry out a democratic investigation and would not be under influence or pressure, Ugarte said.
Ugarte noted that investigation carried out so far showed that the accident happened due to human mistake.
Spanish Defense Ministry and relatives of soldiers who died in the plane crash were planning to build a monument near Sahinkaya hamlet where the accident had happened and open it on May 26, 2004, Ugarte added.
The delegation headed by Ugarte later visited Trabzon Mayor Niyazi Surmen and Chief Prosecutor Burhan Cobanoglu.
Ugarte and accompanying delegation then left for Macka town of Trabzon to meet with Macka Mayor Omer Yildiz and decorate him with the medal of merit for his efforts following the plane crash.
The group will also visit the spot of the accident in Kockine field in Sahinkaya hamlet.
A Ukrainian plane carrying Spanish peace force soldiers en route from Afghanistan to Spain had crashed into a field in Sahinkaya hamlet of Macka town on May 26, 2003.
Sixty-two Spanish soldiers and 13 crew members including one Belarussian and 12 Ukrainians had died in the plane crash.
(BRC-AÖ) 11.11.2003