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Russian military plane 'crashes in Black Sea near Sochi' Russian military plane crashes in Black Sea near Sochi
(35 minutes later)
A Russian military plane with 91 people on board has crashed into the Black Sea, media reports say. A Russian military plane with 91 people on board has crashed into the Black Sea, Russia's defence ministry says.
The plane disappeared from radar 20 minutes after taking off from Adler airport in the resort of Sochi at 05:20 (02:20 GMT). The plane disappeared from radar 20 minutes after taking off from the resort of Sochi at 05:20 (02:20 GMT) and fragments have now been found.
The defence ministry said the Tu-154 aircraft was carrying service personnel, members of the famed Alexandrov choir and reporters. The defence ministry said the Tu-154 was carrying service personnel, members of the famed Alexandrov military band and reporters.
The plane was reportedly flying to Syria's Latakia province. The plane was flying to Syria's Latakia province.
A rescue team has now found debris in the Black Sea, news agencies said. It originated in Moscow and had landed at Adler airport in Sochi for refuelling.
Russian defence ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the plane was carrying passengers to a New Year's performance for Russian troops deployed in Syria. The defence ministry said in a statement: "Fragments of the Tu-154 plane of the Russian defence ministry were found 1.5km from the Black Sea coast of the city of Sochi at a depth of 50 to 70 metres."
Russia - a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - has been carrying out air strikes against what it described as terrorist groups. Reports in the area said conditions for flying were favourable.
The aircraft went missing as it was manoeuvring over Russia's territorial waters, a source at the emergency ministry was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the plane was carrying passengers to a New Year's performance for Russian troops deployed in Syria.
Who are the Alexandrov Ensemble?
The performance was scheduled to take place at Russia's Hmeimim air base, near Latakia.
Russia has been carrying out air strikes in support of Syrian government forces who are battling rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In April 2010, a Tu-154 plane crashed in Smolensk, western Russia, killing all 96 people on board, including the Polish President Lech Kaczynski.
A Tu-154, operated by Siberian Airlines, was shot down over the Black Sea in October 2001, killing 78 people.
The plane was travelling from Tel Aviv in Israel to Novosibirsk in Russia, and most of the passengers were Israeli.
The Ukrainian military initially denied involvement but officials later admitted the plane could have been hit accidentally during a training exercise.