The decoding of flight data recorders of the Tu-154 plane that crashed in the Black Sea near Sochi may last for up to several weeks depending on the tape’s condition, a source close to the investigation told TASS on Dec. 27.
"To analyze all this, there is the need to look at the condition of the tape and try to decode all this, this cannot be done during one day. The process may take from a few days up to several weeks," the source said.
The flight data recorders will be transported submerged in the water, the source said, adding that no air should penetrate them. "The container is hermetically sealed and can weather 36 hours in the sea water. This the ideal time during which it should be pulled from the water, but this is no limit," he stressed.
The Tu-154 plane from Russia’s Defense Ministry crashed in the early morning hours of Dec. 25 shortly after taking off from the Black Sea resort of Sochi. There were 92 people on board the aircraft, including eight crew members and 84 passengers that lost their lives in the plane disaster.
Read more: Black box of crashed Tu-154 plane to be deciphered in Moscow Region