You're reading: Technical failure, pilot error most likely theories behind Yak-42 crash near Yaroslavl

No traces of explosives have been found at the site where a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger airplane crashed on Wednesday, Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told Interfax.

"Investigators are looking into all of the possible theories behind what happened. However, the most likely theories are a technical malfunction or pilot error," Markin said.

It has also been established that the airplane was performing a charter flight, and it took off from the airport’s singe runway according to the schedule, he said.

Fifty-four investigators, criminologists and specialists from the Investigative Committee’s central office, as well as its territorial branches and transport investigative departments are currently working at the site.

Investigative Committee deputy director Vasily Piskarev is coordinating their work.