Report: Russia halts airline after crash
Russia's air safety watchdog Wednesday grounded an airline after one of its planes crashed earlier this month killing 44 people, including the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team, the Ria Novosti news agency reported.
"Rosaviatsia decided to strip YAK-Servis of its air operator's certificate following the results of an unscheduled check into the company's work and because of the deadly crash outside Yaroslavl," the watchdog said.
The entire Lokomotiv team, which was traveling to the Belarus capital of Minsk for its Kontinental Hockey League season opener, lost their lives in the Sept. 7 disaster. One crew member survived.
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev ordered the government to ground all airlines that failed to meet safety standards, amid deep public anger over the crash and a string of other accidents.
