Russian military plane crashes into Black Sea near Sochi

A Russian military plane with 91 people on board has crashed into the Black Sea shortly after taking off, the Russian defence ministry said.

A rescue team found debris at the suspected crash site off the coast of the resort town of Sochi, Interfax news agency reported, citing an unidentified source, on Sunday.

Local news agencies reported that fragments of the Tu-154 plane were found 1.5 kilometres off the coast of Sochi at a depth of 50 to 70 metres.

Other news agencies reported that parts of the plane and undercarriage, and also an oil slick were found some six kilometers from the coast.

There was no word on possible survivors.

The plane, which was on its way to Latakia in Syria, was carrying 81 passengers and 10 crew members, Interfax news agency reported. The Tu-154 is a Soviet-designed three-engine airliner.

Al Jazeera`s Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from Moscow, said the plane disappeared from radar only minutes after takeoff.

"Reports here in Moscow are saying that the passengers included journalists, military personel and members of the famous Alexandrov Ensemble, an official army choir of the Russian armed forces," Ghoneim said.

The Russian defence ministry said the Alexandrov Ensemble was to perform a concert at the Russian air base in Latakia.

Rescue services of aviation units of the Southern Military District in Krasnodar and neighbouring regions were engaged in the search for the plane, the defence ministry said.

Source: Aljazeera