Russian Plane Crashes With Over 70 People Believed on Board

Russian Plane Crashes With Over 70 People Believed on Board

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A Russian Tu-154 aircraft crashed Thursday into the Black Sea coast off Russia, with more than 70 people believed on board, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

At least 64 passengers, including two children, 10 crew members and two aviation engineers were believed to be on board the plane, which went down at about 13:35 Moscow time (0935 GMT) 185 kilometers off Russian coastal city of Adler, Interfax said.

The plane is on a flight from the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv to the Russian Siberian city of Novosibirsk. It belonged to the Sibir Airlines, based in Novosibirsk.

The news agency quoted the Israeli Ben Gurion Airport as saying that all passengers on board were Israelis.

It had made a stopover in Burgas in Bulgaria, where it is believed had picked more passengers.

Latest Russian media reports said Deputy Transport Minister Karl Ruppel had confirmed earlier report that an explosion occurred on board the plane before its plunging into the sea.

The captain of an Armenian airplane said he saw an airplane exploding to the left of him and its debris falling into the sea.

Interfax quoted law enforcement sources as saying that the explosion may be the prime cause of the accident. The sources also said it could be a terrorist attack.

President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed of the crash and has appointed Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo to head an ad hoc commission to inquire into the accident.

An An-12 search plane and a Mi-8 helicopter of the Sochi rescue service have left for the crash site and two rescue towboats are also on way there.

According to the Emergency Situations Ministry, the depth of the sea where the airliner crashed is about 1,000 meters.