Helicopter crash in Brovary that killed Interior Ministry officials: State Investigation Bureau completes investigation

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) have completed the investigation into the helicopter crash on 18 January 2023, in Brovary, which killed the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Source: SBI; Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine. Quote from the SBI: "The case materials are open for review by the suspects and their defenders, as well as the victims and their legal representatives.

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The materials will be delivered to the court after review."

Details: In August 2023, investigators served five officials of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine who violated the safety rules of the helicopter flights, on board of which the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and accompanying persons were, with notices of suspicion:

  • head of the State Search and Rescue Aviation Service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine,
  • acting commander of a special aircraft unit;
  • deputy commander for flight training;
  • the commander of the aircraft squadron;
  • Head of the Flight Security Service of the Special Aviation Unit and Operational Rescue Service of the Civil Protection Service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine based in the city of Nizhyn, Chernihiv Oblast.

Ukrainian Pravda sources report that all of them are currently under house arrest as a preventive measure. The investigation materials indicate that they violated the safety rules of the helicopter flight carrying the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The aircraft crashed on 18 January 2023, in Brovary.

In January 2023, the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine was scheduled to visit the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Officials of the State Emergency Service deployed a helicopter, which was on duty to respond to potential emergencies, to transport the delegation. The investigation material indicates that the aircraft did not have permits for other types of flights.

The crew commander started the flight without meteorological data along the entire route of the planned movement, and the crew did not have the appropriate permits to fly in difficult weather conditions or the necessary certificates. None of the officials responsible for the safety of flights cancelled or postponed the departure until favourable weather conditions had been observed. Due to difficult weather conditions, the helicopter was flying at an extremely low altitude.

The crew commander saw an obstacle and, while manoeuvring, lost orientation and collided with the ground. When the helicopter crashed, it damaged a kindergarten, neighbouring buildings and parked cars. In addition to high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, four women and a minor child who had come to kindergarten were killed in the helicopter crash.

31 people, including 13 children, sustained injuries of varying severity.

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