Boeing 747 crash. GKNB reports on cargo consignee 

The State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (GKNB) presented today the preliminary results of the verification of data on cargo, carried by the crashed aircraft.++

The crashed Boeing 747-400 aircraft belonged to ACT Airlines and was chartered by Turkish Airlines for international air cargo services.

The check found out that this aircraft with the flight number TK 6491 performed regular freight  services along Hong Kong - Bishkek - Istanbul route with a technical landing (refueling and crew change) in Manas International Airport. According to the cargo manifest, at the time of the crash the plane carried 76, 758 tones of cargo (household appliances, accessories for mobile phones, and so on) with its ultimate carrying capacity of 116, 462 tones.

According to the materials of the check, 1,902 tones of the total volume of cargo (USB-lighters- electric lighters) have been ordered by JTI Kazakhstan LLC office in the Kyrgyz Republic and were intended for delivery from Hong Kong to Istanbul for further shipment to the recipient in Kyrgyzstan on January 19, 2017 by the flight with the number TK 6528 along Istanbul - Bishkek route. 

This information was confirmed by the office of Turkish Airlines. The rest of the goods had to be transported from Istanbul to other countries.

During the study of the route of cargo delivery by Turkish Airlines to the Central Asian region, it has been found out that according to the applicable freight transport system "Cargo," goods of different consignees are formed at the starting point and are delivered to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (large transport and logistics center). Later on, the products are sent to the recipient countries.

According to official data of Kyrgyzaeronavigatsiya SE, the flight with the number TK 6491 Hong Kong - Bishkek - Istanbul has been performed 49 times for the period from 2016 to 2017 till the crash.

It was performed on "R" form on a regular basis, which implies the absence of the commercial rights to the loading or unloading of goods in Manas International Airport.

It is noted that replacement crew of two pilots, who arrived from Istanbul, waited for the plane in

Manas airport.

As for the consignee of "USB-lighters", it was found out that the office of JTI Kazakhstan LLC in the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the branches of the tobacco industry leader Japan Tobacco International SA, whose headquarters is located in Switzerland. 

According to the explanations received from the head of the Kyrgyz office of the company, the "USB-lighters" cargo was ordered by the head Almaty office of JTI Kazakhstan LLC on the basis of an agreement dated April 25, 2016, No.030180. The lighters were not intended for sale but were to be free distributed among trade partners to promote the main product on the market.

It has been also found out that the logistics services for JTI Kazakhstan LLC office in Kyrgyzstan have been provided by the international freight forwarding company Globalink Logistics Group, engaged in air, land and sea transportation of goods to many countries. 

In order to fully investigate all the circumstances, GKNB continues checking, including within the contribution to the investigation of the criminal case, initiated on the plane crash fact.