Sunday, December 25, 2016

Russian Defense Ministry Sends 4 Ships, 5 Helicopters to Tu-154 Crash Site
December 25, 11:34 UTC+3

The Tu-154 plane of the Russian Defense Ministry crashed earlier with 92 onboard

MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry has sent four ships and five helicopters to the site of the Tu-154 plane crash off the Black Sea coast near Sochi, the ministry's spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

"Four ships, five helicopters and drones are currently involved in the search," Konashenkov said.

"Fragments of the Tu-154 plane have been found at a depth of 70 meters some 1.5 kilometers from the coast of Sochi," he added.

Meanwhile, the Russian Emergencies Ministry told TASS it will send an Il-76 plane with rescuers and divers.

The Tu-154 plane of the Defense Ministry disappeared from radars at 05.40 a.m. Moscow time (02.40 a.m. GMT) shortly after taking off from Sochi. There were 92 people onboard the plane, including journalists, servicemen and musicians of the famous Alexandrov ensemble, an official army choir of the Russian armed forces, who flew to congratulate the air group of Russia’s Aerospace Forces at the Hmeymim air base in Syria with the New Year. Executive Director of the Spravedlivaya Pomoshch (Fair Aid) charity fund Elizaveta Glinka, known as Dr. Liza, was also onboard.

More:
http://tass.com/defense/922267


Putin: causes of Tu-154 crash to be thoroughly investigated

Russian Politics & Diplomacy  December 25, 14:22 UTC+3

Putin declares December 26 day of national mourning for Tu-154 crash victims

ST. PETERSBURG, December 25. /TASS/. The causes of the Tu-154 plane crash off the Sochi coast will be thoroughly investigated and the victims' families will get all the necessary support, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

"A thorough investigation of the crash causes will be carried out and all efforts will be taken to support the families of the victims," Putin told reporters.

"The government has been ordered to set up a commission that will be headed by the transport minister," he added.

The president again offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

The Tu-154 plane from Russia’s Ministry of Defense vanished from radar screens at 05.40 a.m. Moscow time (02.40 a.m. GMT) shortly after taking off from the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

According to the latest information from Russia's Defense Ministry, there were 92 people on board the aircraft, consisting of 8 crew members and 84 passengers. Among them was the Executive Director of the Spravedlivaya Pomoshch (Fair Aid) charity fund, Elizaveta Glinka, also better known to the Russian public as Dr. Liza, as well as servicemen and reporters, including from Channel One, Zvezda and NTV.

The plane was also carrying more than 60 members of the famous Alexandrov ensemble, an official army choir of the Russian armed forces, who set off to celebrate the New Year with the air group of Russia’s Aerospace Forces at the Hmeymim air base in Syria. The choir’s conductor Valery Khalilov was also on the list of passengers.

The Defense Ministry said that debris from the Tu-154 had been found 1.5 km off the coast of Sochi at the depth of 50-70 meters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to set up and head a government commission to look into the Tu-154 plane crash. The Investigative Committee announced that a criminal case was opened based on "the violation of rules of flights safety or preparation for them.".

More:
http://tass.com/politics/922299


Charity fund confirms Dr. Liza onboard crashed Tu-154 plane

World  December 25, 12:25 UTC+3

Elizaveta Glinka, known as Dr. Liza, accompanied a humanitarian cargo for the university hospital Tishrin in Latakia
   
The fund said in a statement on its website that Glinka flew to Syria late on Saturday onboard the Defense Ministry’s plane. "She accompanied a humanitarian cargo for the university hospital Tishrin in Latakia," it said, giving no more details.

The Tu-154 plane of the Defense Ministry disappeared from radars at 05.40 a.m. Moscow time (02.40 a.m. GMT) shortly after taking off from Sochi. There were 92 people onboard the plane, including journalists, servicemen and musicians of the famous Alexandrov ensemble, an official army choir of the Russian armed forces, who flew to congratulate the air group of Russia’s Aerospace Forces at the Hmeymim air base in Syria with the New Year.

The Defense Ministry said the debris of the Tu-154 plane was found 1.5 km from the coast near Sochi at the depth of 50-70 meters.

More:
http://tass.com/world/922277

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