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UTair suspends Mi-26 operations
UTair, the world's largest operator of the Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter, has suspended operations of the type in Russian and abroad.
The company is carrying out inspections on the tail booms of the aircraft to assess the possibility of structural defects. It follows an accident involving a UTair Mi-26 in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area of Russia on 20 December in which one crew member was killed. The helicopter rolled over and caught fire.
The accident is under investigation by the authorities.
UTair says aircraft operations will re-start depending on the outcomes of the inspections on each aircraft and are expected to take several days.
'Safety is a top priority of the company,' the airline said in a statement and it hopes that customers will understand the reasons for the downtime.
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