You're reading: Yak-42 crash survivor could be discharged from hospital in two weeks

Moscow, Sept 21 (Interfax) – The condition of the flight engineer Alexander Sizov, who survived the crash of the Yakovlev Yak-42 airplane near Yaroslavl, is being assessed as one of medium severity, Director of the Sklifosovsky Research Institute of First Aid Anzor Khubutiya told journalists on Wednesday.

"Thanks to the efforts of intensive care specialists and traumatologists, the patient has shifted from a very critical to medium-severity condition. He is conscious, in good spirits, and answers doctors’ questions. We hope that his life is not at risk," Khubutiya said.

Sizov is due to be discharged in about two weeks, he said. "He will still need two more surgeries to cover the defects from burns. We will be able to discharge him in two weeks," Khubutiya said.

The flight engineer will be able to return to his professional activity, he also said.

Sizov’s wife has been beside him round the clock, Khubutiya said. "Currently, he is held in a separate ward at the burns treatment unit. He can stand on his feet, on crutches though. His wife has been beside him in the ward the whole time," he said.

On Sept 7, a Yak-42 carrying the hockey team Lokomotiv, which was flying to Minsk for a game, crashed near the Tunoshna Airport. 44 people aboard the plane (37 passengers and seven crewmembers) were killed in the crash.

Hockey player Alexander Galimov, who survived the crash, but sustained major injuries, died in the Moscow Vishnevsky Research Institute on Sept 12, bringing the death toll to 44.

The only crash survivor is board engineer Alexander Sizov, who is currently in the Moscow Sklifosovsky Institute.

Among the hockey players killed in the crash were 11 foreigners.

Many Lokomotiv players had participated in the Olympics and world championships.

A criminal case has been opened on the basis of the article of the Russian Criminal Code dealing with violations of air traffic safety regulations.

The two most probable causes of the crash are equipment failure and pilots’ mistake.