Captain Damir Yusupov and his First Officer Georgy Murzin had very little time on the morning of 15 th of August to take the right decisions. A very short time after take-off at Moscow-Zhukovsky airport, after a collision with a flock of seagulls, both engines of the Airbus A321 they were piloting failed. With an emergency landing in a corn field, the crew saved the lives of all passengers with great skill.
While Russian accident investigators are currently investigating the incident, Yusupov and Murzin have been celebrated as heroes in their country. But the Airbus A321 is now facing a less glamorous end. Ural Airlines, operator of the aircraft, will have the aircraft scrapped.
A321 to be cut into parts on site
In a statement, the Russian airline writes that the investigation work on the aircraft has been completed. The removal of the A321 is now imminent. But instead of recovering the plane in one piece, it will be cut into pieces at the scene of the accident and then transported away piece by piece. According to the airline, the fuel, other liquids, gases and all engines have already been removed.
Ural Airlines will probably scrap the aircraft completely. The airline also seems to have no interest in components that are undamaged and could serve as spare parts: «The airline does not plan to use any parts of this aircraft», the company writes.
