Debris from missing Russian military plane found in Black Sea

Debris from a Russian military plane carrying 91 people that had disappeared from radars has been found in the Black Sea.

Damascus, Dec 25: A Russian military aircraft which off the radar has crashed over the black sea, the Russian media reported quoting the defence ministry. However, the debris from a Russian military plane carrying 91 people that had disappeared from radars has been found in the Black Sea, local news agencies quoted the defence ministry as saying.

"Fragments of the Tu-154 plane of the Russian defence ministry were found 1.5 kilometres from the Black Sea coast of the city of Sochi at a depth of 50 to 70 metres," the ministry said.

The plane had disappeared from radar screens shortly after taking off at 5:40 AM (0810 IST) from the southern city of Adler, south of the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. It was conducting a routine flight to Russia's Hmeimim airbase outside the coastal Syrian city of Latakia, the ministry said.

The ministry said the plane was carrying Russian servicemen as well as members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, the army's official musical group, who were headed to Syria to participate in New Year celebrations at the base. There were nine members of the media on board, the ministry said.

Russian air traffic controllers lost contact with a Tu-154 airliner with 91 onboard reportedly belonging to the Russian Defense Ministry, rt.com reported.

OneIndia News (with inputs from agencies)