The black box of the MiG-29 fighter aircraft that crashed into the Black Sea near Shabla has been deciphered. The initial results confirm the conclusions which have already been made by Bulgaria’s Military Police, said this country’s caretaker Minister of Defense Georgi Panayotov.

 According to the conclusion of the report that followed the investigation of the plane crash, "loss of spatial orientation by the crew during a night flight above the Black Sea" was the most probable cause of the crash. We have not yet received the final conclusion, but the initial conclusion confirms the report, Minister Panayotov added. The black box was sent to Russia for deciphering. It was found at a depth of 70 meters.

The aircraft’s pilot Major Valentin Terziev died during the incident. Later, Valentin Terziev was posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.