Tensions between Iran and the United States may impede investigation on the causes of the crash of a Ukrainian Boeing shortly after takeoff from Tehran on Wednesday, the modalities of which are defined by precise international rules.
The Boeing 737-800 of the Ukrainian company Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) crashed less than three minutes after takeoff, causing 176 deaths, mainly Iranians and Canadians. This 737 NG is a version earlier than that of the 737 MAX, nailed to the ground since March after two fatal accidents.
Tehran has already indicated that it refuses to give the Americans the black boxes that record all the data of a flight.
The rules for the investigation of air accidents are defined by the Chicago Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Responsibility for the investigation, to Iran
It provides that the responsibility for the investigation, which is intended to explain the event, rests with the State where the accident occurred, in this case Iran.
The state where the device was designed and built (here the United States), the operator’s state (Ukraine) “each have the option of appointing an accredited representative who will participate in the survey“, states the agreement.
In theory, the American NTSB, responsible for the investigation of transport accidents, should therefore participate in this investigation by calling on the expertise of Boeing, explains to AFP Jean-Paul Troadec, former director of the Bureau of Investigations and of analyzes (BEA), French equivalent of NTSB.
“There, it may be a little complicated“, he believes.
The American aircraft manufacturer said in a tweet that “in touch“with the Ukrainian company and says”ready to assist in any way“.
“To participate in the survey, the United States must be invited by the Iranians“, for his part told AFP an American official on condition of anonymity.
It doesn’t seem to be getting there. The head of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, Ali Abedzadeh, refused to send the black boxes to the United States, saying that “Ukrainians will be able to participate“to the inquiry.
Reading the data from flight recorders is not complicated in itself, according to Troadec. “The difficulty is if the recorders are in very bad condition, you need laboratories that have experience, capacities, means“.
And few have the capacity according to him: the American NTSB – which would therefore be offside for the moment – the French BEA, the British AAIB, even their German counterpart and “perhaps the Russians”.
“At this stage, the BEA is not sending investigators on the spot and has not received a request for assistance from the Iranian authorities“, for its part informed AFP the French organization.
“What will be more important now than reading the recorders is examining the debris from the plane“, which can give indications on the causes of the crash, explains Jean-Paul Troadec.
ICAO also provides that the country where the event took place may discharge the investigation for the benefit of a third State.
The Netherlands had thus conducted the investigations in place of Ukraine on the crash of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing, shot down by a missile over Ukrainian territory on July 17, 2014, killing 298 people, including 193 Dutch.
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