7 Sep 2011

Dozens killed in Russia plane crash

Forty-three people are feared dead after a plane carrying a Russian hockey team crashed near the city of Yaroslavl.

Members of the Lokomotiv ice hockey team were on their way to Minsk for the Kontinental Hockey League in Minsk when the Yak-42 passenger jet crashed.

Officials initially said 37 people were on board the plane, but the ministry later said 45 were aboard and that two had apparently survived.

The plane reportedly caught fire after the crash near the airport outside Yaroslavl, 150 miles north of Moscow.

Interfax reported that the plane had trouble gaining altitude and hit an antenna near the runway.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered Transport Minister Igor Levitin to travel to the site of the crash.

President Dimitry Medvedev announced a minute of silence and postponed the opening match of the league’s season.

“There has been a terrible tragedy,” Medvedev said.

There was no immediate word on the identity of the victims.

The Lokomotiv team is made up of European and NHL stars, among them Czech national side players Karel Ranuchek, Jan Marek and Josef Vasicek, Slovakia’s legend Pavol Demitra and Swedish goalkeeper Liv Stefan.

Its head coach is Canadian former Detroit Red Wings assistant Brad McCrimmon.