Your trusted source

At the suggestion of Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, during the government session today the members of Armenian government observed a minute of silence for the victims of a passenger bus crash near Tula in Russia.

The premier then said that by his decision a commission was set up to organize funerals of the Armenian citizens killed in the crash and to provide assistance to those injured and their families. Minister of Transport and Communication Gagik Beglaryan is the commission chairman.

H. Abrahamyan said that Armenia’s Health Minister Armen Muradyan and Transport Minister Gagik Beglaryan left for Tula region 2 days ago and they are now assisting all the victims there. The PM thanked Russian colleagues for help.

The PM said the issue was discussed with President Serzh Sargsyan and a decision was taken that the government will cover all the costs.

The accident happened on November 3 on M-4 interstate highway in Tula region of Russia. 60 people, all of them Armenian citizens, were traveling in a bus en route from Moscow to Yerevan. 8 people were killed and 46 others injured in the crash.

An IL-76 plane of Russian Ministry of Emergency Situation will transport the injured persons and the bodies of the victims to Yerevan. A ministry representative said that IL-76 will transport 29 injured passengers of the bus and the victims’ bodies. He added that 3 persons who are in critical condition in Tula hospitals will be taken by helicopter to Ravenskoye airport outside Moscow, from where IL-76 plane will depart for Armenia . The bodies of the victims will be taken to Ravenskoye by vehicles. Another 26 passengers who suffered minor injuries will be transported in buses.

According to Ministry of Emergency Situation, the plane will take off in the afternoon. The passengers and victims will be accompanied by their relatives and employees of the Armenian consulate and Ministry of Emergency Situations.