You're reading: Markin: Russian investigators blame ‘criminal permissiveness’ for Vnukovo plane crash

Moscow - The Russian Investigative Committee disagrees with representatives of Moscow's Vnukovo airport who claim that Monday's plane crash, which killed French oil company Total CEO Christophe de Margerie, was a "tragic coincidence".

“It is already obvious that the reason behind it was not a terrible and tragic coincidence, as representatives of the airport seek to portray it. Rather, it was criminal permissiveness on the part of senior officials, who were unable to properly coordinate the work of airport employees,” Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said.

“Investigators will take measures in the near future to secure the suspension of a number of airport officials who may hamper the inquiry from their duties,” he said.

“More highly-placed officials of the airport stand behind the negligent actions of the immediate perpetrators,” Markin said.