Sergei Ryzhov, the chief designer of the light water VVER nuclear reactors built by Russia in foreign countries, including India, was killed in a plane crash in Russia that claimed at least 44 lives.
Ryzhov was the chief designer of light water VVER reactors. Russia has built many nuclear power plants abroad with this reactor, including one in Kudankulam in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The whole leadership of the designers units of Russia's state nuclear corporation was killed when a Tu-134 passenger plane crash landed on a highway in heavy fog and burst into flames in northern republic of Karelia.
The plane belonging to the Rus-Air airlines was flying from Moscow to the Karelian capital Petrozavodsk when it crash landed on a highway.
"In Petrozavodsk crash practically whole leadership of OKB Gidropress (Hydropress)united designing bureau was killed including its director and general designer Sergei Ryzhov, deputy director and chief designer Gennady Banyuk, and head designer and chief of branch Nikolai Trunov," Gidropress spokesman Sergei Sorokin said saying this was a great blow and loss for the Russian nuclear industry.
OKB Gidropress is the main designer of nuclear power plants of the State Corporation
'Rosatom'.
"Sergei Ryzhov was the chief designer of light water VVER reactors, I mean of all the
nuclear power plants built abroad with this reactor, including in India," the spokesman said.
According to Rosatom spokesman Sergei Novikov senior officials of two more units of the nuclear corporation including the chief technology officer of Afrikantov Design Bureau of nuclear engineering Andrei Trofimov and Valery Lyalin, chief of department of 'Atomenergomash'- the main
producer of nuclear power equipment in Russia - were also killed in the Tu-134 crash.
They all were going to see a local plant in Petrozavodsk for exploring the possibility of
placing nuclear industry's orders there.