Black boxes from Tu-154 jetliner that crashed in Germany will be sent back to Russia

The black boxes from a Tu-154 airliner that crashed in Germany will be sent to Russia after German authorities have inspected them, an informed source in the Inter-State Aviation Committee told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

"We will have the possibility of thoroughly checking recorded conversations of the crew with a Swiss air traffic controller, and will be even able to identify the airliner's course immediately before the tragic collision with a Boeing-757," the source noted.

He said he was puzzled by the fact that the two planes found themselves "on the same flight level" with crossing routes and by the fact that the airliners failed to execute "standard manoeuvres" as provided for by air traffic rules when aircraft are nearing each other. The source added that the causes of the air crash are currently being investigated under the direction of German air authorities.

"The availability of all four black boxes from both airliners gives German authorities a good basis for restoring a picture of the last minutes of flight by the crashed planes and for establishing the causes that led to this extraordinary happening," the specialist pointed out.

On Tuesday, in the area of Bodensee in Germany, a Russian Tu-154 passenger jetliner of Bashkirian Airlines and a Boeing-757 cargo liner of the DHL international delivery company had collided at an altitude of 11,000 metres. The Tu-154 carried 12 crew members and 57 passengers, including 52 children. The Boeing-757 had two pilots aboard. All of them died.