Swiss air traffic controller instructed Russian crew to descend three times

The Russian Ministry of Civil Aviation told RIA Novosti that, according to the deciphered "black boxes" of the TU-154 aircraft which on July 2 collided in mid-air, over south Germany, with the cargo Boeing, Swiss air traffic controllers three times instructed the Russian crew to descend.

At the moment of the collision the planes were in the area of responsibility of the Swiss Skyguide air traffic control service. The catastrophe occurred as a result of the simultaneous descent of the TU-154 and the Boeing. The Boeing changed its course on the instructions of the airborne computer and the Russian aircraft, for the same reason, started to climb when an air traffic controller interfered. The Russian Ministry believes he, most probably, "found himself in an unfavourable situation and was not able to duly perform his duties."