AMN
Rescue helicopters discovered debris of the Russian military transport plane which crashed into the Black Sea yesterday. Most of the passengers on the Tu-154 were members of the famous Alexandrov Ensemble Army choir.
According to preliminary reports, the Tupolev transport plane had 92 people on board, including 84 passengers and eight crew members. It went missing over the Black Sea after refueling at an airport near Sochi. It was on way to Syria.
Helicopters dispatched from Sochi to search for the aircraft have discovered the crash site, the Defence Ministry reported. Television channel, Russia Today reports that the hull fragments of the Tu-154 plane operated by the Defense Ministry have been found about 1.5 km off the Black Sea coast of Sochi at a depth of 50-70 meters.
Around 3,000 people are involved in a search and rescue operation in the 10.5 square kilometer area. The 24/7 operation is being conducted by 32 vessels with 80 divers on board, unmanned flying vehicles, and five helicopters. Head of the Russian Transport Ministry Maksim Sokolov said that so far the rescue workers have found no survivors from the crash.