First 'black box' of crashed Russian plane discovered


Russian Officials say the flight data recorder of the Russian military airliner which crashed in the Black Sea on Sunday has been found.

It is the first "black box" to be found from the Tu-154 jet, which came down with the loss of all 92 passengers and crew.

The plane crashed soon after take-off from an airport near the city of Sochi.

It was carrying artistes due to give a concert for Russian troops in Syria, along with journalists and military.

The search for victims' bodies is continuing, with one unofficial report on Tuesday saying the remains of 16 people found so far.

The plane disappeared from radar two minutes after taking off from Sochi's Adler airport at 05:25 (02:25 GMT) on Sunday, heading for Latakia in Syria, the defence ministry said.
The flight had originated in Moscow and landed in Sochi for refueling.

Victims in the crash are 64 members of the famed Alexandrov military music ensemble, as well as one of Russia's best-known humanitarian figures, Yelizaveta Glinka, known as Dr Liza, executive director of the Fair Aid charity.

Dr. Eliza is mostly remembered for feeding, clothing and providing medical care to the homeless people who sleep in train stations.

The Alexandrov Ensemble was scheduled to perform a New Year's concert at Russia's Hmeimim air base near Latakia.


There have been few clues as to the cause of the crash although Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov has played down the possibility of a bomb attack.

He reiterated that investigators were looking into whether pilot error or a technical fault might have brought down the aircraft.

According to an Aviation Safety Net report, the plane made a U-turn back towards the coastline shortly after take-off, before disappearing off the radar.

But audio recording played on Russian media and said to be of the final conversation between air traffic controllers and the plane reveals no sign of any difficulties.

Voices remain calm until the plane disappears and the controllers try in vain to re-establish contact.

The Tupolev airliner involved in the crash was an old model no longer flown by air lines in Russia but still used by the military. It was 33 years old.

Russia observed a day of mourning on Monday for the victims.

Prayers were said in the country's Russian Orthodox Christian churches and a makeshift shrine was set up in Moscow outside the headquarters of the Alexandrov Ensemble.

Mourners in Moscow have also been laying flowers outside the headquarters of Fair Aid in memory of Dr Liza, who had been on the plane to deliver medication to a university hospital in Latakia.

It appears the Russians have ruled out any foul play in the Christmas Day plane crash.

Russia has been carrying out air strikes in support of Syrian government forces who are battling rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.



SOURCE: BBC News