Svartehavshavariet - BBC

Russia plane crash: Huge search for bodies in Black Sea

• 24 minutes ago

Image copyright EPA

Image caption Dozens of ships, planes, helicopters and submersibles are involved in the search operation

A huge search operation is continuing for a Russian military plane with 92 on board which crashed into the Black Sea.

Some 3,000 people, including more than 100 divers, as well as ships, planes, helicopters and submersibles are involved in the operation near Sochi.
Some fragments of the plane have been found, but initial reports that the fuselage was sighted have been denied.
The Tu-154 plane carrying soldiers, musicians and reporters was heading for Syria. All on board are feared dead.
Monday has been declared a national day of mourning.

First bodies found

Emergency officials said initial information suggested the fuselage was located 27m (89ft) below the surface and 1.7km (one mile) from the shore in the direction of the runway.
But the ministry later said it was not the fuselage but four fragments of the plane, one of them 4m long, that had been discovered.
The defence ministry said two parts of the plane's control systems had been found and brought to the surface.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption Flowers in memory of the victims were placed on the shore near where the plane went down

So far only 11 bodies and 154 body parts have been recovered, but officials believe many more may be trapped inside the remains of the aircraft.
Search teams worked through the night in three shifts, and the operation "did not stop for a minute", defence ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said at a briefing on Monday.
The 10.5 sq km (four sq mile) search area just off the coast had been extended, he added.
Ten of the bodies and "86 fragments" of bodies have now arrived in Moscow for identification, Gen Konashenkov said later.

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Image caption In Moscow, a makeshift memorial has appeared at the home of the Alexandrov Ensemble

Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said that the plane's "black box" flight recorders, situated in the tail of the aircraft, had not yet been retrieved.
Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said that terrorism was not "among the main versions" of the possible causes of the crash.
He reiterated that investigators were looking into whether pilot error or a technical fault may have brought down the aircraft.
The plane disappeared from radar two minutes after taking off from Sochi's Adler airport at 05:25 (02:25 GMT) on Sunday, heading for Latakia in Syria, the defence ministry said.
The flight had originated in Moscow and landed in Sochi for refuelling.
It was carrying 64 members of the famed Alexandrov military music ensemble, who were to perform for Russian troops in Syria.

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What is the Alexandrov Ensemble?

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• Alexandrov Ensemble is the official choir of the Russian armed forces
• It was founded in 1928 during the Soviet era
• The group also includes an orchestra and dancers
• It takes its name from its first director, Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov, who wrote the music to the national anthem of the Soviet Union
• Holds the right to use the term Red Army Choir, although the interior ministry's MVD Ensemble also uses it
• Listen to the Alexandrov Ensemble here

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An audio recording played on Russian media and said to be of the final conversation between air traffic controllers and the plane reveals no sign of any difficulties.
Voices remain calm until the plane disappears and the controllers try in vain to re-establish contact.
The plane came into service in 1983.
Gen Konashenkov said the aircraft was last serviced in September and had undergone more substantial repairs in December 2014. It had an "experienced" pilot, he said.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption The Tu-154 that crashed into the Black Sea is seen at a military airport near Moscow in 2015

Image copyright AP

Image caption Candles have been lit in central Sochi in memory of the crash victims

The defence ministry has published a passenger list (in Russian).
As well as the Alexandrov Ensemble, those on board included nine journalists, eight soldiers, two civil servants and eight crew members.
Among the victims was Yelizaveta Glinka, known as Dr Liza, the executive director of the Fair Aid charity and the inaugural winner of Russia's state prize for achievements in human rights.
The Alexandrov Ensemble was scheduled to perform a New Year's concert at Russia's Hmeimim air base near Latakia.
Russia has been carrying out air strikes in support of Syrian government forces who are battling rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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Image copyright AFP

Tupolev-154: Russian workhorse

• The backbone of Soviet and Russian airlines for decades
• Three engines, narrow-bodied and medium range
• Designed in the mid-60s, came into service in 1972 and was modernised in 1986 with new engines and equipment
• Has seen 39 fatal accidents, although few were due to technical problems. Many were as a result of difficult weather conditions and poor air traffic control. A few were lost in conflicts including in Lebanon, Georgia and Afghanistan
• Not used in Russia's civil aviation since 2009, but is still used by the military. Only about 50 in service worldwide

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