The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-09-14

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] All 88 Passengers Dead

14 Óåð 2008 10:14:00

By Alexandros Moz

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA, Interfax, Itar-Tass

An Aeroflot passenger plane has crashed in central Russia killing all 88 passengers and crew on board. The Boeing 737 jet was traveling from Moscow to Perm, Siberia, when it crashed while landing, reported Russian news agencies. The local Media reported that firemen put the fire that had broken on the crash point. Russias national airline Aeroflot said 21 foreigners were among those killed in the plane crash near the Ural mountains.

The Russian President has been briefed on the aircrash by Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu. The accident is not attributed to sabotage or terror act.

Among the dead were nine children, including an infant. As the aircraft crashed in an uninhabited area, no civilians were killed on the ground. Interfax newsagency reported that as the aircraft caught fire there is no hope for survivors.

As per a fresh report, there were 21 foreigners on board. A Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that while the aircraft was at 1,800-metre altitude the air control tower lost contact with it.

Last year, 33 Russian aviation accidents left 318 dead -- a sixfold increase over 2005 -- raising serious concerns about Russias civil aviation, with experts pointing to major faults in the professional training of crews as well as Russias ageing fleet of passenger jets.

An air safety commission announced in January that the average age of the countrys international airliners was 18, and its regional jets 30 years.

Translated by John Crystallidis

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