A passenger plane crashed and burst into flames after takeoff in Siberia on Apr. 2, killing 31 people and putting the spotlight on Russia's poor air-safety record before Vladimir Putin's return as president.
In this photo provided by Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Russian emergency workers search the crash site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. The passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off on Monday morning, killing 31 and leaving 12 survivors hospitalised in serious condition, Russian emergency officials. The French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 plane was operated by UTair, flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service)
Emergency service workers investigate the wreckage of the UTair airlines ATR 72 passenger plane that crashed near the Siberian city of Tyumen April 2, 2012. A Russian passenger plane crashed and burst into flames after takeoff in an oil-producing region of Siberia on Monday, killing at least 31 of the 43 people on board, emergency officials said. REUTERS/Emergencies Ministry Press Service/Handout (RUSSIA - Tags: DISASTER TRANSPORT) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
Russian Emergency Ministry rescuers search the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off on Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition. The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Marat Gubaydullin)
In this photo provided by Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Russian emergency workers search the crash site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. The passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off on Monday morning, killing 31 and leaving 12 survivors hospitalised in serious condition, Russian emergency officials. The French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 plane was operated by UTair, flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service)
Russian Emergency Ministry rescuers and police officers search the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off on Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition. The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Marat Gubaydullin)
In this photo provided by Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Russian police officers guard the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. The passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off on Monday morning, killing 31 and leaving 12 survivors hospitalised in serious condition, Russian emergency officials. The French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 plane was operated by UTair, flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service)
Russian Emergency ministry rescuers and police officers search the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off on Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition. The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Marat Gubaydullin)
In this photo provided by Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Russian emergency workers search the crash site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. The passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off on Monday morning, killing 31 and leaving 12 survivors hospitalised in serious condition, Russian emergency officials. The French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 plane was operated by UTair, flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service)
Emergency service workers investigate the wreckage of the UTair airlines ATR 72 passenger plane that crashed near the Siberian city of Tyumen April 2, 2012. A Russian passenger plane crashed and burst into flames after takeoff in an oil-producing region of Siberia on Monday, killing at least 31 of the 43 people on board, emergency officials said. REUTERS/Emergencies Ministry Press Service/Handout (RUSSIA - Tags: DISASTER TRANSPORT) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
Russian Emergency Ministry rescuers search the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off on Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition. The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Marat Gubaydullin)
In this photo provided by Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Russian emergency workers search the crash site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. The passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off on Monday morning, killing 31 and leaving 12 survivors hospitalised in serious condition, Russian emergency officials. The French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 plane was operated by UTair, flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service)
Russian Emergency Ministry rescuers and police officers search the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off on Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition. The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Marat Gubaydullin)
In this photo provided by Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Russian police officers guard the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. The passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off on Monday morning, killing 31 and leaving 12 survivors hospitalised in serious condition, Russian emergency officials. The French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 plane was operated by UTair, flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service)
Russian Emergency ministry rescuers and police officers search the site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off on Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition. The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew. (AP Photo/Marat Gubaydullin)