Moscow airport staff detained
October 23, 2014
Russia's Investigative Committee said on Thursday those arrested included an air traffic supervisor and a female trainee who was directing the takeoff of Christophe de Margerie's small executive jet.
Its collision with a snow plough also killed the three-member crew of the Falcon 50 plane (wreckage pictured on left) as it was leaving for Paris from Vnukovo, one of three Moscow airports.
The agency, which reports to President Vladimir Putin, said the head of runway cleaning and head air traffic controller had also been detained.
"The investigation suggests that these people did not respect the norms of flight security and ground operations," said the agency in a statement.
A Moscow court was to decide on Thursday whether to order the formal arrest of the snow plough's driver, who was initially detained for 48 hours.
Vladimir Martynenko was shown on Russian television telling investigators that he strayed unawares onto the runway.
"When I lost my bearings, I myself didn't notice when I drove on to the runway," he said.
Martynenko's lawyer had previously denied a initial claim by investigators that the driver had been intoxicated.
Vnukovo airport announced the resignations of its general director and his deputy "due to the tragic event." They were not detained by investigators, however.
Total announces replacements
At an emergency meeting in Paris on Wednesday, the French oil giant appointed Thierry Desmarest, a former chief executive and chairman at Total, to replace Margerie as chairman of the group until late 2015.
It also appointed Philippe Pouyanne as replacement chief executive.
De Margerie, who had also held both posts -- CEO and board chairman -- had been an outspoken critic of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine.
Total employs about 100,000 employees worldwide and posted revenues of nearly 190 billion euros ($240 billion) in 2013..
ipj/tj (AFP, Reuters, dpa)