MOSCOW, May 3 (Xinhua) -- An Armenian passenger plane with at least 110
people on board crashed early Wednesday into the Black Sea off the coast of the
southern Russian resort of Sochi, and there were no signs of survivors hours
after the crash, Russian media reported.
Wreckage from the Armenian passenger aircraft has been found inthe Black
Sea some six km from shore, and rescue workers so far have found eight bodies at
the site, Russian news agencies quoted Emergency Situations Ministry officials
as saying.
The Airbus 320 was traveling from the Aremenian capital Yerevanto the Black Sea
resort of Sochi and vanished from radar screens near Sochi at about 2:15 a.m.
(2215 GMT Tuesday), Itar-Tass quoted Viktor Beltsov, deputy head of Russia's
Emergency Situations Ministry's information department, as saying.
Beltsov said preliminary information indicated there were 114 people on
board, including five children. Earlier, Russian news agencies said the plane
was carrying 92 passengers and eight crew members.
Beltsov said weather conditions were poor at the time the planecrashed.
The Emergency Situation Ministry said the plane belonged to the Armenian
airline Aramavia.
The emergencies ministry had sent an amphibious plane to the scene of the crash, the RIA news agency said. Boats and divers were involved in the search but heavy rain and poor visibility were complicating the operation. Enditem
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