25.09.2020.
Minister Vulin in the news programme on RTS channel: When tragedies happen, they always hurt us terribly
Tonight, in the news programme on RTS channel, Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said that the type of aircraft such as the MiG-21 that crashed does not have a standard black box, but it does have a flight data recorder that has not been found yet.
- An expert commission formed by the Chief of the General Staff and the expert commission of the Air Force and Air Defence, headed by Brigadier General Milan Popović and Brigadier General Aleksandar Bjelić are in the field. So, two of our commissions are investigating what happened – said Minister Vulin.
Speaking about when the results of the investigation could be expected, Minister Vulin said that "the commissions will do their best and that it is in everyone's best interest to find out what happened". All the results that the commissions obtain will be first submitted to the prosecutor's office, Minister Vulin points out, and then the prosecutor's office will decide whether and how the information from the report will be distributed.
- This is a terrible tragedy. This was a blow for the families and friends in the first place, but also for the Serbian Armed Forces and all our people and citizens. A pilot’s job is extremely difficult and there is a mortal danger on every flight. We need to be aware that this is simply the case. There were times when none of the pilots flew for six months. Nowadays, not a single day goes by without some of our pilots flying. We must simply be prepared, always do our best, make sure that all our aircraft are in good working order, and make sure that all our pilots are trained and equipped, but when tragedies happen, they always hurt us terribly, even though we know that this extremely responsible and difficult job is associated with them – said Minister Vulin.
He emphasized that Major Krsnik was a flight instructor, and that Captain 1st Class Vasiljević received all appropriate training and added that they left behind three children.
- None of our aircraft can take off without obtaining five signatures - four written by the competent mechanical engineers, who check the condition of the plane and the fifth signature written by the pilot himself. When the pilot says, since he also checks the plane, that everything is fine, the aircraft is ready. This was a regular task. It was a weather reconnaissance task. That is something we do every day - Minister Vulin explained.
- We are all affected by this tragedy. Of course it will hurt. Of course we will take care of the families. Once again, I want to express my condolences to the pilots’ families - said the Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin in tonight's news programme on RTS channel.
