Russian military plane with 91 on board crashes en route to Syria

[artofdream]

Source: _https://www.rt.com/news/371627-russia-military-plane-missing/

Russian air traffic controllers have lost contact with a Tu-154 airliner, which disappeared from radar shortly after take-off in Sochi with 91 people on board.

“Alexandrov Ensemble singers made up the majority of the missing passengers of the Tu-154,” a defense source told RIA, adding that 90 members of the choir were supposed to be flown to Syria on two Russian military planes.

Unfortunate and strangely timed ... wait & see when more details are available.

#C

 

[Gary]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

The Russian military plane that went missing with 91 people on board has crashed over the Black Sea, Interfax has reported, citing Russia 24 TV.

Rescue teams reportedly confirmed the suspected crash site of the missing Tu-154 aircraft near the Sochi coast.

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2016-12-25/missing-russia-military-plane-crashes-over-black-sea/

 

[Gary]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

The Committee is now confiscating documents related to the flight, and is questioning those responsible for flight preparations, TASS reported.

The Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case into the Tu-154 crash, according to article 351, “Failure to comply with the rules of flight security and preparation,” TASS reports, citing Investigative Committee representative Svetlana Petrenko.

No survivors have been found so far, emergency services said.

“Unfortunately, during over an hour of search and rescue efforts, no emergency life rafts have been found,” Interfax cited a source as saying.

The passengers' personal belongings supposedly have been found off the Sochi coast, the local emergency source told TASS.

Three journalists working for the Russian Channel One were on board of the plane, TASS reported citing the channel's press service.

"Dmitry Runkov, correspondent, Vadim Denisov, cameraman, and sound engineer Aleksandr Soydov were on board of the plane," PR director Larisa Krymova has said, also confirming that the journalists were flying to Syria.

Debris from the plane has been found at a depth of 50-70 meters, 1.5 kilometers from the shore, the information department of the Russian Defense Ministry stated.

https://www.rt.com/news/371627-russia-military-plane-missing/

 

[aimarok]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Very sad Sunday morning. There's an unconfirmed information that the plane experienced a critical malfunction http://www.newsru.com/russia/25dec2016/crashreasons.html.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Russia opens criminal investigation into crash of Tu-154 plane

http://tass.com/world/922243

Military investigators of the Russian Investigative Committee have opened a criminal case into the crash of the Tu-154 plane of the Defense Ministry en route to Syria's Latakia, official spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko told TASS.

The criminal case has been opened into "the violation of rules of flights safety or preparation for them," she said.

Investigative Committee seizes documents, interrogates persons who prepared crashed Tu-154 plane for flight, Petrenko added.

Russian defense minister in constant contact by phone with Putin due on Tu-154 crash

http://tass.com/world/922248

Russian defense minister in constant contact by phone with Putin due on Tu-154 crash in Sochi - Kremlin.

Kremlin has no info that Dr. Liza was onboard crashed Tu-154 plane - Peskov.

Body of one victim found at Tu-154 plane crash scene - source

http://tass.com/world/922251

Documents of Channel One journalists, body of one victim found at Tu-154 plane crash scene - source.

First Body Found 6 Km From Sochi Coastline Following Tu-154 Crash in Black Sea

https://sputniknews.com/russia/201612251048969973-first-body-tu-154/

The first body has been found 6 km from Sochi coastline following the crash of a Russian Tu-154 airplane in the Black Sea, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Sunday.

"A body of a person who died in Russia's Defense Ministry's Tu-154 airplane crash has been found 6 km away from Sochi coastline. The body has been lifted on board of the rescue vehicle," Konashenkov said.

Konashenkov said earlier on Sunday that a total of 92 people were on board of Tu-154 that crashed in the Black Sea.

The plane departed from Sochi at 5.20am local time on Sunday, or at 9.20pm EST. It disappeared from radars about 20 minutes after takeoff.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

 

[Keit]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Yes, the main official version so far is technical or pilot error. They don't even consider "terror attack". But still, it does sound coincidental, especially after the assassination of the Russian ambassador in Turkey. Unless it was indeed a coincidence and investigators were able to quickly uncover evidence of gross negligence, perhaps it was decided not to go in the direction of a foul play for whatever reason. Will see if ISIS or any other "terror group" will take responsibility.

But I already can see certain media jerks saying that it was again "punishment from karma" for Russia's "crimes" in Syria. :(

This is obviously a great loss of live, and also talent, since Alexandrov Ensemble is legendary.

http://<iframe width="560" height="...oA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Gary]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Yes, the main official version so far is technical or pilot error. They don't even consider "terror attack". But still, it does sound coincidental, especially after the assassination of the Russian ambassador in Turkey. Unless it was indeed a coincidence and investigators were able to quickly uncover evidence of gross negligence, perhaps it was decided not to go in the direction of a foul play for whatever reason. Will see if ISIS or any other "terror group" will take responsibility.

But I already can see certain media jerks saying that it was again "punishment from karma" for Russia's "crimes" in Syria. :(

This is obviously a great loss of live, and also talent, since Alexandrov Ensemble is legendary.

Yes it does seem quite a 'coincidence', given the recent assassination of the Russian ambassador and liberation of Aleppo. The renowned ensemble were due to perform at a New Year's concert at the Russian airbase in Latakia, Syria; an act of celebration and rather symbolic perhaps.

The weather conditions were "favorable", yet the Tu-154 has been involved in dozens of fatal crashes in recent years.

TASS reports that weather conditions in the regions were “favorable” to aviation. No civilian flights have been cancelled yet.

The Tupolev Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range transport plane designed in the 1960s. It is capable of carrying up to 180 passengers, depending on the version. There are about 50 aircraft of this type remaining in operation throughout the world, with the Russian Air Force having the biggest fleet.

Over the decades, there have been around four dozen fatal incidents involving the aircraft, most of which were due to pilot error or improper maintenance. One of the most widely publicized crashes happened in 2010 near Smolensk, Russia, when a Tu-154M of the Polish Air Force carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his entourage crashed in foggy weather, killing all 96 people on board.

https://www.rt.com/news/371623-russian-tu-154-disappears-radars/

 

[Keit]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Just a note that the reason the terror attack is being excluded at this point is because the incident happened in Russia's airspace. Therefore official military sources say that it is "inconceivable" that they would have this kind of security problem. But, then, we know that these are not regular "terrorists" we are dealing with, so the possibility of a sabotage is very real. At this moment, though, most of the specialists say that it was a technical problem.

But the possibility of a sabotage was proposed by one of the experts that I am listening to at the moment on Moscow 24. He mentioned that in Sinai crash it also took awhile for the Russian officials to admit that it was a terror attack and a bomb on board. And since thanks to the C's we know that FSB knew or suspected who the real guilty patties were, therefore release of the "bomb on board" story was deliberate. Perhaps this is what is happening in this case as well, who knows.

The following facts also point toward something totally extraordinary happening in the air. Apparently the incident happened only 7 minutes after taking off. It was still gaining height, when something happened and it crashed. The fragments of the plane were found 1.5 km from the shore, while one of the bodies was found 6 km away, and 8 km away more fragments were found. Apparently such wide spread of fragments is impossible unless the plane started to break-up while in the air.

 

[macyk]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Big chance to non terror act here because plane was really old.

The Tupolev Tu-154 (Russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: Careless) is a three-engine medium-range narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev.

The plane that crashed near Sochi was a Tu-154B-2 with registration number RA-85572. The passenger capacity was boosted to 180. The aircraft has been in service since 1983, according to the online registry russianplanes.net. The defense ministry said the plane spent 6,689 hours in flight.

I love songs of Alexandrov ensemble. :(
You can hear much songs with normal subtitles in many languages here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlvW4tHlHmw&list=PLz6EUb6WzSqXzTkdClhhMC4RrtHw9LxKv

 

[Carl]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Big chance to non terror act here because plane was really old.
...

The timing is very suspicious though. I imagine 'they' are now looking for any way to lash out against Russia and hit it where it hurts - destroy something beautiful. Remember the concert in Palmyra and all the positive emotions associated.

 

[loreta]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Big chance to non terror act here because plane was really old.
...

The timing is very suspicious though. I imagine 'they' are now looking for any way to lash out against Russia and hit it where it hurts - destroy something beautiful. Remember the concert in Palmyra and all the positive emotions associated.

I agree. Very strange coincidence. A lot of deaths lately: the Ambassador, the business Russian man found dead in Moscow ( I think it was a business man, I am not sure), the NATO man also found dead and yesterday the hijacker of a plane by the terrorists "pro-Kadafi." A lot of movement. It seems to me that some dots can be put together. Or not? Old or not old an air plane.

Bad end of year. Very sad, really. I feel extremely sad of all of this.

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Just a note that the reason the terror attack is being excluded at this point is because the incident happened in Russia's airspace. Therefore official military sources say that it is "inconceivable" that they would have this kind of security problem. But, then, we know that these are not regular "terrorists" we are dealing with, so the possibility of a sabotage is very real. At this moment, though, most of the specialists say that it was a technical problem.

But the possibility of a sabotage was proposed by one of the experts that I am listening to at the moment on Moscow 24. He mentioned that in Sinai crash it also took awhile for the Russian officials to admit that it was a terror attack and a bomb on board. And since thanks to the C's we know that FSB knew or suspected who the real guilty patties were, therefore release of the "bomb on board" story was deliberate. Perhaps this is what is happening in this case as well, who knows.

The following facts also point toward something totally extraordinary happening in the air. Apparently the incident happened only 7 minutes after taking off. It was still gaining height, when something happened and it crashed. The fragments of the plane were found 1.5 km from the shore, while one of the bodies was found 6 km away, and 8 km away more fragments were found. Apparently such wide spread of fragments is impossible unless the plane started to break-up while in the air.

My condolences to the families of this "terrible tragedy".

Looking over several news clips, I also feel something extraordinary happened?

Reports are stating 91 passengers were on board the Russian Military plane. Reversing the numbers, on the 19th, a Russian Ambassador was assassinated.

A total of 84 passengers and eight crew members were on the plane when it disappeared from radars two minutes after taking off in good weather.

The passenger list released by the Defense Ministry included 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, among them its leader, Valery Khalilov. The ensemble often referred to as the Red Army choir, is the official choir of the Russian military and also includes a band and a dance company.

The military has repeatedly flown groups of Russian singers and artists to perform at Hemeimeem, which serves as the main hub for the Russian air campaign in Syria conducted since September 2015.

Also on board was Yelizaveta Glinka, a Russian doctor who has won wide acclaim for her charity work that included missions to war zones in eastern Ukraine and Syria. Her foundation said that Glinka was accompanying a shipment of medicines for a hospital in Syria. Putin presented Glinka with an award earlier this month.

Nine Russian journalists from three Russian television stations were also among the passengers.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-military-plane-91-aboard-missing-over-black-051223564.html

So, you have a world-famous Russian army choir - often referred to as "the Red Army" choir - headed to "the Hemeimeem Military base" that has been used by Russia as "a main hub in their air campaign in Syria". "Nine Russian journalists from three Russian television stations" and "a Russian doctor" known for her charity work, accompanying a shipment of medicines for a hospital in Syria. And the incident happened only minutes after take off and debris is "scattered" in a wide area. Something extraordinary, indeed?

 

[artofdream]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Source: https://www.rt.com/news/371720-doctor-liza-crash-activist
Source: https://www.rt.com/news/371623-russian-tu-154-disappears-radars/

It seems Dr "Liza" (Elizaveta Glinka) was also listed on the passenger list.

The passenger list released by the defense ministry also includes Elizaveta Glinka, a prominent charity activist and humanitarian worker. She is best known by her blogger nickname “Doctor Liza.” Some reports initially said she may have deplaned in Sochi, but the Presidential Council for Human Rights confirmed that she was on board.

Glinka was best known for aiding children with serious conditions like cancer, homeless people, and other vulnerable individuals. In the past few years, she organized humanitarian missions to conflict zones, including eastern Ukraine and Syria. For her efforts, she was awarded the Order of Friendship in 2012, the fifth highest state award in Russia.

 

[Siberia]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

Also on board was Yelizaveta Glinka, a Russian doctor who has won wide acclaim for her charity work that included missions to war zones in eastern Ukraine and Syria. Her foundation said that Glinka was accompanying a shipment of medicines for a hospital in Syria. Putin presented Glinka with an award earlier this month.

This is so horrible that it's hard to find words to describe it. Since morning I was hoping that at least Dr. Liza was not in the list, that it could be a mistake. Very sad. :(

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Russian military plane with 91 on board disappears en route to Syria

What a horrible thing to happen on Christmas day. I feel for the families of the victims.