43 killed in plane crash, Russian authorities investigate

Russian aviation investigators have launched an inquiry into the passenger plane crash in which 43 were killed, while two remain in critical condition.

8 September 2011, 12:00am

1 min read

The plane crashed near the central Russian city of Yaroslavl. Reportedly, 44 people were killed, as news emerge that one of the survivors succumbed to the injuries.

News media report that most of the casualties were members of one of the country's top ice hockey team, Locomotiv Yaroslavl.

The YAK-42 passenger plane had just taken off from Yaroslavl, 250km from the capital, on a flight to Minsk in Belarus when it crashed near the airport.

Among international victims were three Czech world champions, a Swedish goalkeeper, a renowned Slovak forward and a Canadian coach.

Many had played around the world, including in North America's National Hockey League.

"This is the darkest day in the history of our sport," International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel said in a statement after the crash of the Yak-42 aircraft.

"This is not only a Russian tragedy, the Lokomotiv roster included players and coaches from ten nations."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered Transport Minister to the crash site and Medvedev sent his first deputy chief of staff, Vladislav Surkov.