Sputnik has discussed likely reasons behind the deadly incident with the first vice-president of the Russia-Cuba Friendship Society, Major-General Mikhail Makaruk, and director general of the consulting and analytical agency „Flight Safety,“ Sergey Melnichenko.
The crash of a Cuban passenger plane on Friday could have been caused by technical problems, Mikhail Makaruk, a Russian pilot with many years of experience, told Sputnik.
„There are a lot of unforeseen events in aviation. In this case, it seems likely that there was a failure of the material part. The problem could lie in either the engine, or in the control system,“ the expert said.
Answering the question about whether the technical failure could have been connected with the US embargo on the supply of spare parts to Cuba, Makaruk said that it’s unlikely.
„Cubans have a good network of supplies of spare parts. Another thing is that the material part could have worn out. I exclude explosion or sabotage; Cuba has a very good level of control over flight safety,“ Makaruk stated.
„It is important that the aircraft was old. Although it is reliable as such, metal fatigue could lead to a disaster,“ the pilot explained.
READ MORE: Survivors of Cuba Plane Crash Remain in Serious But Stable Condition — Hospital
He also added that Boeing 737 aircraft are very heavy, which limits their ability to maneuver.
A similar opinion has been expressed by Sergey Melnichenko, director general of the consulting and analytical agency „Flight Safety.“
According to him, the US embargo on the supply of spare parts to Cuba could not affect the safety of the Cuban aircraft, since it was a Mexican Boeing, which Cuba simply rented.
If the aircraft would have revealed any shortcomings, Mexico could have repaired it without any problems, Melchinko said, adding that if the plane actually took off, then it was considered safe.
A Boeing 737 passenger plane flying to Holguin from Havana crashed on Friday between José Marti International Airport and the town of Santiago de las Vegas with 110 people on board, striking a power line after turning back to the airport.
READ MORE: ‚Sad to Think How Many People Were There‘ — Witnesses of Plane Crash in Cuba
Shortly after the crash, several media reported that three people had survived and were hospitalized in critical condition.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced that the country’s government had set up a commission to investigate the causes of the accident.
