A Russian Defence Ministry Tu-154 aircraft’s has been found after it disappeared from radars shortly after the take-off from Sochi, Russia’s TASS news agency reported today.
93 people were reportedly onboard the aircraft.
The aircraft was heading to Syria’s Latakia, a regional emergency services source told TASS.
According to RT, most passengers were from the Alexandrov Ensemble, the Russian Armed Forces official choir.
Sputnik reported that 64 choir members were on the plane.
Following the news that the musicians were onboard, Russians went to the Ensemble’s building to lay flowers and offer condolences.
Other passengers included crews from Channel One Russia, NTV, and Zvezda – each with three members on the plane, added RT.
Prominent Russian humanitarian and charity activist, Elizaveta Glinka – also known as Dr. Liza, was confirmed to be among the passengers.
TASS cited the Defence Ministry as saying that no survivors were found, with bodied being recovered as the search for the plane continued.
RT reported that debris from the aircraft was located, with it spread across a 1.5km area, and at 50 to 100m depths.
Soon after the crash, an image showing the aircraft before take-off began to circulate on social media.
PUTIN BRIEFED
Russian President Vladimir Putin was receiving information about the crash, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
“From the very beginning the President was informed that the plane disappeared from radars, now emergencies services are working as well as the services of the Defence Ministry, which owns the plane,” added Peskov.
“It is early to say anything now, the President waits until the full picture is clear,” added Peskov.
Russia Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu is in constant contact with Putin on the Tu-154 plane’s crash, Peskov told reporters.
“He is constantly talking on the phone with the President,” Peskov said.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
TASS reported that military investigators from Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case into the, citing its Spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko.
The criminal case was opened into “the violation of rules of flights safety or preparation for them,” she said.
Investigators are seizing documents and interrogating the persons who prepared the Tu-154 plane for the flight to Syria.
“Exhaustive measures are being taken to establish all the circumstances of the incident. The pre-flight documents are seized and officials who were in charge of the flight as well as technical personnel who prepared the plane for the flight and refueled it are questioned,” said Petrenko.
A Kremlin announcement stated that Putin instructed Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to form a commission to investigate the crash.
“This awful tragedy has claimed the lives of people who were energetic and had plans,” said Medvedev, according to TASS.
“Among those killed are journalists, servicemen and musicians of the renowned Alexandrov Ensemble. They flew to Syria with a very benevolent and peaceful mission.
“The circumstances of the incident will be thoroughly investigated, and everyone affected by this tragedy will receive the necessary assistance.“
Read more here.
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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Kirill Naumenko License: CC-BY-SA
