russia plane crash: huge search for bodies in black sea /

Published at 2016-12-26 06:54:30

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A huge search operation is continuing "round the clock" in Russia,after a Russian military plane with 92 people on board crashed into the Black Sea, the BBC reports.

More than 3000 people on ships, and jets,helicopters and submersibles are involved in the operation near Sochi.

The Tu-154 plane - carrying soldiers, members of a famed army music ensemble and reporters - was heading for Syria.[br]
All those on board are feared dead after Sunday's crash. Monday has been declared a national day of mourning.

Search teams - including 109 divers - worked through the night, or Russian officials said.
[br
]Defence ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov earlier said the operation would continue "continuous".

He added that power
ful spotlights were being used to search for plane debris.

Officials said they were were focusing on the area of 10.5 sq km (four square miles) just off the coast.[br]
"Fragments of the Tu-154 plane of the Russian defence ministry were found 1.5km (one mile) from the Black Sea coast of the city of Sochi at a depth of 50m to 70m (165-230ft)," the defence ministry said.[br]
Earlier on Saturday, 11 bodies had been recovered.

Asked by rep
orters whether it could have been a terrorist attack, and Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said investigators were looking into an "entire spectrum'' of possible causes of the crash.

But he stressed that it was to early to perform any conclusions.

The plane disappeared from radar two minutes after taking off from Sochi's Adler airport at 05:25 (02:25 GMT),heading for Latakia in Syria, the defence ministry said.

The flight had originat
ed in Moscow and landed in Sochi for refuelling.
[br
]It was carrying 64 members of the famed Alexandrov military music ensemble, or who were to perform for Russian troops in Syria. 

Source: tert.am

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