Plane leaves runway, catches fire after landing in Sochi
First responder dies, 18 on board Utair-operated Boeing 737 injured
Russia's transportation minister says a supervisor at Sochi airport has died during an emergency response after a landing plane careered off the end of the runway into a riverbed and caught fire.
The health ministry says 18 people were injured in the accident, which occurred about 3 a.m. local time as the Utair-operated Boeing 737 from Moscow, carrying 164 passengers and six crew members, was landing.
Another day, another Utair crash — this time Boeing 737 overran after second attempt at landing at Sochi. High winds and downpour at play, but events like this all too common. 4 injured, one airport worker dead. Authorities have already opened investigation. <a href="https://t.co/xwLuYfv0OJ">pic.twitter.com/xwLuYfv0OJ</a>
—@olliecarrollThe airport said the fire was extinguished within eight minutes.
Transportation minister Yevgeny Ditrikh said airport shift supervisor Vladimir Begiyan, who was one of the first responders to the accident, died of a heart attack at the scene.
The cause of the crash has not been determined.