Russian vigilante: I had to avenge my family
Published 02 July, 2008, 04:57
Six years ago a passenger jet and a cargo plane collided in mid-air over Germany, killing 71 people on board. Among the dead was the wife and children of Vitaly K?loev. In his grief he decided to take revenge, and killed the Swiss air traffic controller he blamed for the death of his family.
Vitaly Kaloev’s wife and two children were among those killed in the incident.
Relatives of the victims were desperate to know what went wrong. But the Swiss-based air traffic control company Skyguide initially refused to take responsibility or apologise.
The media blamed Peter Nielsen, the air traffic controller on duty that day, saying he was solely responsible for the disaster.
Two years later Kaloev tracked him to his Swiss home and stabbed him to death. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Kaloev’s lawyer managed to convince the Swiss courts he acted under diminished responsibility. His prison term was reduced. He was freed just months after four Skyguide employees were finally found guilty of negligence and manslaughter.
The verdict was angrily received in Russia. Three of those charged were handed 12 month suspended sentences and two-year probation periods. The fourth just had a fine to pay.
It’s been six years since the tragedy but Vitaly still thinks the punishment was incompatible with the crime. He’s still angry.
“A monument erected near Skyguide – it’s not enough to commemorate those who died in the air crash,” he said.
Every year the victims’ family members come to the site of the disaster in Germany to pray for the souls of their loved ones.
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