The management of the defense Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant was killed in a helicopter crash in Dagestan
9 November 22:13
In Dagestan, a Ka-226 helicopter crash killed five employees of the Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant (KEMZ), which works for the Russian military-industrial complex. Among the victims are Achalo Magomedov, deputy director general for construction and transportation, Sergei Suslov, chief power engineer, Sirazhutdin Saaduev, chief helicopter designer, and Islam Jabrailov, driver, [Komersant ] reports, citing Russian propaganda media.
The fifth victim was a Ka-226 flight engineer who died in hospital. Only two survived: the plant’s executive director, son of the head of KEMZ, Akhmat Akhmatov, and test pilot Vladimir Andreev. They were hospitalized at the burn center in Makhachkala.
The helicopter crashed on November 7, en route from Kizlyar to the Sunny Beach recreation center near Izberbash. Its last moments were captured on video. During a forced landing, the Ka-226 raised its nose high and hit the pier hard with its rear end, causing the tail beams to break. The crew then tried to recover, but as soon as they touched the water, they took off in search of another landing site. Soon after, the pilot lost control, and the helicopter fell apart and crashed into an uninhabited building in the village of Achi-Su, after which it burst into flames.
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case on violation of safety rules, which led to the death of several people (Part 3 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code). Two versions of the incident are being considered: a piloting error and a technical malfunction. The Interstate Aviation Committee will investigate the causes of the crash. It is known that the Ka-226 belonged to KEMZ.
Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant is part of Rostec. The company produces helicopters, small aircraft, aircraft parts, and anti-drone systems. Since June 2022, KEMZ has been under US sanctions for facilitating the Russian Federation’s “harmful actions abroad.” In June 2024, the plant and its CEO Ibragim Akhmatov were blacklisted by the European Union. The justification was that the company produces ground-based control and diagnostic systems for aircraft, as well as onboard equipment for Su-25 fighters used in the war with Ukraine.
