Russia mourns aircrash; no entertainment programmes

Moscow, July 10 (UNI) Russian national flag is flying at half-mast at the Kremlin and government buildings, in accordance with a decree of President Vladimir Putin who declared Monday a day of national mourning in memory of those killed in yesterday's aircrash at Siberian airport of Irakutsk.

All the entertainment programmes will remain suspended during the mourning.

Giving the casualty figure, Russian Transportation Minister Igor Levitin told mediapersons today that the bodies of 122 people, including seven children, killed in the crash of A-310 airbus, have been identified.

Mr Levtin is also heading the Investigation Commission to find out the causes of the aircrash.

''At this point, 122 bodies have been found,'' RIA Novosti news agency quoted the Russian minister as saying.

Meanwhile, fifty-seven people, including six children, have been hospitalised.

The body parts of nine people found at the crash site are yet to be identified. Pending identification procedures, nine passengers will be considered unaccounted for.

Mr Levtin refused to say whether Russia was planning to suspend flights of A-310 planes used by the Russian Air Carriers.

''That is the responsibility of a different commission, he said.

The A-310 became the first Western-built aircraft to gain a Russian Type Certificate in 1991. The plane owned by Novosibirsk-based S7 (former Sibir), the second largest Russian carrier, operated seven A-310 aircraft before yesterday's tragedy.

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