Lithuania: Russian pilot to be released after finding plane crash unintentional

Lithuanian prosecutors will release the pilot of a Russian air force plane that crashed in the Baltic country three weeks ago, saying Tuesday that the crash had been caused by both human error and technical malfunction.

Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas said investigators have ruled out the possibility that the crash of a Russian Su-27 fighter bomber in the Lithuanian countryside on Sept. 15 was a planned provocation by Russia against Lithuania, the AP reports.

Instead, they believe it was caused by human error and technical failure, Kirkilas said.

Kirkilas said the pilot, Maj. Valery Troyanov, who ejected safely but was being held on suspicion of violating Lithuanian airspace, will be released without charge, but that prosecutors had not said when. AM