Flight tracking data shows "sharp descent" of Prigozhin's plane before crash

Recently analysed flight tracking data has shown that the private jet claimed to be carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, experienced a "sharp descent" before plunging into the ground.

Source: FlightRadar24; CNN

Details: Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 has reported that the Embraer Legacy 600 stopped transmitting location data at 18:11 local time, likely due to "jamming/interference in the area", but the aircraft continued to transmit other data for another nine minutes.

FlightRadar24 data shows that the aircraft levelled off at 28,000 feet (over 8.5 kilometres) and made several minor altitude changes. The last minute of available data shows that the aircraft made erratic ascents and descents, at one point climbing above 30,000 feet (over 9 kilometres).

Then, at 18:19 local time, the data shows that the aircraft's speed dropped to 8,000 feet (about 2.5 kilometres) per minute before the altitude data transmission stopped.

Quote from FlightRadar24: "Even though the aircraft was not transmitting position information, other data like altitude, speed, vertical rate, and autopilot settings were broadcast. It is this data that provides some insight into the final moments of the flight."

Flight tracking of Prigozhin's jet before the catastrophe in Tver Oblast, photo FlightRadar24

Background: 

• On the evening of 23 August, a small plane crashed in Russian Tver Oblast, and the Russians claimed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, was on board.
• The Grey Zone Telegram channel, which is close to the Wagner Group, claimed that Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane had been shot down by air defence fire.
• It was also shared that a terrorist attack on board is being considered as a line of enquiry regarding the crash of Prigozhin's plane.
• The VCHK-OGPU Telegram channel, which is also affiliated with the Wagner Group, reported that the bodies of Prigozhin and his deputy Utkin had been found and identified, and Grey Zone added that "Prigozhin died as a result of the actions of traitors to Russia". 
• The Russian media saw a certain symbolism in the fact that the plane crash occurred on 23 August, exactly two months after the Wagner Group’s mutiny [Prigozhin announced his "march of justice" on the evening of 23 June – ed.].

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