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Moscow Total plane crash snowplough driver 'got lost' | Moscow Total plane crash snowplough driver 'got lost' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A snowplough driver at a Moscow airport has said he lost his bearings before a collision with a private plane in which Total boss Christophe de Margerie died. | A snowplough driver at a Moscow airport has said he lost his bearings before a collision with a private plane in which Total boss Christophe de Margerie died. |
Vladimir Martynenkov told Russian TV he was unaware he had entered the runway. | Vladimir Martynenkov told Russian TV he was unaware he had entered the runway. |
Mr Margerie, 63, chief executive of the French oil firm, was killed in the crash along with three crew members. | |
Russian investigators have alleged that the driver of the snowplough was drunk at the time, but his family has denied this. | Russian investigators have alleged that the driver of the snowplough was drunk at the time, but his family has denied this. |
The Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation. Mr Martynenkov, 60, was detained after the crash, which took place in poor weather at Vnukovo airport, south-west of Moscow, at around midnight on Monday. | The Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation. Mr Martynenkov, 60, was detained after the crash, which took place in poor weather at Vnukovo airport, south-west of Moscow, at around midnight on Monday. |
His family insisted he was not drunk. "My client has chronic heart disease, he doesn't drink at all," his lawyer Alexander Karabanov told Interfax news agency. | His family insisted he was not drunk. "My client has chronic heart disease, he doesn't drink at all," his lawyer Alexander Karabanov told Interfax news agency. |
"When I lost my bearings I did not notice when I drove out on to the runway," Mr Martynenkov told Russia's Channel One TV. | "When I lost my bearings I did not notice when I drove out on to the runway," Mr Martynenkov told Russia's Channel One TV. |
"The plane was preparing to take off, and I practically didn't see it or hear it because the machine was running. I didn't even see the lights, I did not see a thing, and then the crash happened." | "The plane was preparing to take off, and I practically didn't see it or hear it because the machine was running. I didn't even see the lights, I did not see a thing, and then the crash happened." |
Although there had been snow in Moscow, it was not thought to be lying thick on the ground when the Dassault Falcon plane clipped the snowplough and burst into flames. | Although there had been snow in Moscow, it was not thought to be lying thick on the ground when the Dassault Falcon plane clipped the snowplough and burst into flames. |
Christophe de Margerie was one of France's leading industrialists and was returning to Paris, reportedly after a meeting on foreign investment with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at his country residence outside Moscow. | Christophe de Margerie was one of France's leading industrialists and was returning to Paris, reportedly after a meeting on foreign investment with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at his country residence outside Moscow. |
Total announced on Wednesday that his job would be taken over by Philippe Pouyanne, the current head of the company's refining and chemicals division. | |
Thierry Desmarest, who served as chairman and chief executive from 1995-2007, will become Total's chairman until the end of 2015, when Mr Pouyanne will take on both posts. | |
Mr de Margerie's trademark grey handlebar earned him the nickname "Big Moustache", and his was one of the most recognisable faces of the global oil industry. | |
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he was an extraordinary business leader while President Francois Hollande praised his "independent character and original personality". | |
More recently, he had become an outspoken critic of European sanctions against Russia, arguing that such actions would simply push Russia closer to China. | More recently, he had become an outspoken critic of European sanctions against Russia, arguing that such actions would simply push Russia closer to China. |
Total, France's second-largest listed company, is one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia and is planning to double its output from the country by 2020. | Total, France's second-largest listed company, is one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia and is planning to double its output from the country by 2020. |
Despite the sanctions, it has continued work on a liquefied natural gas project with Russian firm Novatek to tap vast natural gas reserves in north-western Siberia and it signed a deal in May with Lukoil to develop shale oil in western Siberia. | Despite the sanctions, it has continued work on a liquefied natural gas project with Russian firm Novatek to tap vast natural gas reserves in north-western Siberia and it signed a deal in May with Lukoil to develop shale oil in western Siberia. |
Investigators began looking at the plane's flight voice and data recorders on Wednesday, Ria Novosti reports. French investigators arrived in Moscow late on Tuesday to take part in the inquiry. | Investigators began looking at the plane's flight voice and data recorders on Wednesday, Ria Novosti reports. French investigators arrived in Moscow late on Tuesday to take part in the inquiry. |
The role of air traffic controllers is likely to be part of the investigation. | The role of air traffic controllers is likely to be part of the investigation. |
Pictures from the scene show the driver of the snowplough looking shocked but walking unaided and without any obvious serious injury. |