The TU-154 plane with 93 people crashed into the Black Sea this morning shortly after taking off from Sochi to Syria. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that there were no survivors, reports Reuters. The cause of the crash is unknown. Among the passengers are members of the Aleksandrov military band who were on their way to the Russian Hmeimin base where they were supposed to participate in the New Year's celebration, journalists, and several military officials.
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14:52 The Interfax agency reported that investigators have begun an investigation that should determine the exact reason for the plane's crash, and an anonymous "well-informed" source, as stated on the agency's website, said that there is an ornithological reserve nearby, so there is the possibility that the bird flew into the engine of the plane, writes Blic.
13:45 The Russian Ministry of Defense announced today that a total of 27 ships and boats and more than 3,000 people, including 100 divers, are participating in the search for the bodies of the victims. According to Tas s agency, the Ministry has expanded the search teams. "A total of 27 ships and boats, 37 drivers, four helicopters, drones and remote-controlled submarines are searching the area," the statement said.
13:27 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Russian President Vladimir Putin today that he is very sorry for the crash of the Russian plane. Assad said this accident will not stop Russia and Syria from fighting Islamic militants.
13:00 German Chancellor Angela Merkel today expressed her condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the crash of a Russian plane.
German government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer announced that Merkel told President Putin that Germans sympathize with the families of the victims.
12:53 Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that the causes of this morning's plane crash will be thoroughly investigated and the families of the victims will receive the necessary assistance.
"The government has been ordered to form a commission to be led by the Minister of Transport," Putin said, according to TAS S, which states that according to the latest data, ten bodies of victims have been found.
12:40 Russian President Vladimir Putin declared tomorrow a day of national mourning for the 93 people who died in the crash of the Russian Ministry of Defense plane this morning. "Tomorrow will be a day of national mourning in Russia," Putin told reporters.
12:30 Among the passengers was Jelisaveta Glinka, the executive director of the humanitarian fund "Poštena počet".
12:28 Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia will thoroughly investigate all the circumstances related to this morning's plane crash. In more detail HERE
11:37 The head of the Committee for Defense Affairs in the Upper House of the Russian Parliament, Viktor Ozerove, said today that the possible cause of the crash of the military transport plane was a technical failure or a crew error, but he expressed his belief that it was not terrorism, because the aircraft was being operated by the military. Reuters reported information from the RIA Novosti agency from an unnamed source that the plane crashed due to a technical problem.
Crash area of # Tu154 plane determined, with no survivors in sight - MoD https://t.co/YBd2Z1tOTW pic.twitter.com/eseC2tHTCx
- RT (@RT_com) December 25, 2016
11:25 The soloist of the "Aleksandrov" ensemble, Vadim Petrovich, was not on the plane that crashed this morning. He says that he was in shock when he heard that the plane he was supposed to be on had crashed.
"I don't know what to say. I still can't believe what happened. I didn't fly for family reasons. I recently had a son, the third child in the family, so I stayed at home to help my wife."
11:13 According to new information from Reuters, there were 93 people on the plane.
10:55 The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that there were no survivors in the plane crash, Reuters reports, referring to the TASS agency.
10:30 The spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, announced today that the ministry sent four ships, five helicopters and drones to the crash site.
10:29 A source from the Russian agency TAS S stated that four bodies have been found so far. It was previously reported that next to the body of one of the victims, the documents of a journalist from the Russian "Kanal 1" were found. The rescue teams located the remains of the aircraft about 1,5 kilometers from the coast, at a depth of 50 to 70 meters.
10:28 Avon disappeared from radar 20 minutes after takeoff from Sochi airport.
The Russian Ministry of Defense published the list of passengers.
CNN writes that the Ministry of Defense announced that the Tu-154 with 84 passengers and eight crew members took off from the Alder airport. Among the passengers are members of the Aleksandrov military band who were on their way to the Russian Hmeimin base where they were supposed to participate in the New Year's celebration, journalists, and several military officials, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed for the Tass agency, reports CNN.
Military investigators of the Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal investigation, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin received information about the downing of the plane and is receiving new information that is coming.
"It is too early to say anything, the president is waiting for the picture to be complete," said Peskov, who added that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is on the phone with Putin.
So far, the body of one of the victims has been found, as well as the documents of a journalist from the Russian "Channel 1". The spokeswoman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Svetlana Petrenko, told TAS S that a criminal investigation was opened due to "violations of flight safety rules or preparations for them." Investigators have seized the documents and are questioning the people who prepared the plane for flight.
The Russian agency announced that the rescue teams located the remains of the aircraft about 1,5 kilometers from the coast, at a depth of 50 to 70 meters. The plane disappeared from the radar at five hours and 40 minutes Moscow time shortly after taking off from Sochi.
Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov explained that the plane was carrying personnel who were supposed to take part in a New Year's performance for Russian troops deployed in Syria.
All available search and rescue units from Krasnodar and neighboring regions were immediately sent to the place of disappearance.
The plane was supposed to fly to Latakia, a Syrian province.
He took off from Moscow and landed in Sochi to refuel.
The Ministry of Defense announced that the parts were found one and a half kilometers from the coast of the Black Sea, not far from Sochi.
It is also stated that the conditions for flying were favorable.
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