Cyrillic Partners

40 Years ago today Russia lost the hero Yuri Gagarin to an airplane accident. Gagarin, the first man in space, is commemorated across Russia, perhaps most notably with the huge titanium statue in Moscow measuring 40 meters high.

Some mystery still surrounds the pioneer’s death. A 1986 report on the accident that cost Gagarin his life suggested the crash was the result of poor weather conditions and the wake of a nearby jet plane hitting its afterburners.

A 2005 investigation suggested the cockpit of Gagarin’s plane may not have been adequately sealed before take off. The loose seal would have lead to oxygen deprivation.

A bill to reopen the case and examine the sealed remains of Gagarin’s training plane was vetoed by the Kremlin in 2007.

Conspiracy theorists have had a field day with the incident, as RIA points out. Some say Gagarin was killed at the order of Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader they say was jealous of Gagarin’s popularity. A Finnish source reports that he was abducted by aliens.

Whatever the cause of his death, Gargarin should be remembered for his bravery in making aviation history.

[Picture from Wikipedia]

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