All 92 Passengers on Russian Plane Heading to Syria 'Killed'

A Russian military plane that took off from southern Russia bound for Syria on Sunday, January 5, crashed into the Black Sea, killing all 92 people on board. According to the Associated Press, the cause of the accident is still unclear, and while some experts mention a 'terrorist attack' as a possible reason for the incident, Russian officials dismiss this possibility. The Russian army stated that among the passengers were 60 musicians and singers from the famous Russian Army Choir, who were scheduled to perform at a New Year's event at a Russian military base in Khmeimim, Latakia, Syria. The news network RT quoted a Russian emergency ministry official saying, 'Initial information indicates that the Tu-154 of the Ministry of Defense disappeared from radar after taking off from Sochi' and then crashed. The Tu-154 of the Russian army disappeared after taking off from an airport in the city of Adler in southern Russia. Adler is an area in Sochi on the Black Sea coast. The Interfax news agency quoted another official stating that the plane disappeared shortly after takeoff while still in Russian airspace over the Black Sea. RIA Novosti reported that the plane likely crashed in the mountainous areas of 'Krasnodar,' while TASS and Interfax say it fell into the Black Sea. Hours later, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that at least one body had been found six kilometers off the Black Sea coast. According to Agence France-Presse, this plane was a Tu-154 with 83 passengers and 8 crew members. Reuters reported that there were 92 people on board the plane.