Armenian jet crashes near Sochi

BBC NEWS:
europe/4967464.stm

2006/05/03 01:09:04 GMT

A passenger airplane flying from Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, to the
city of Sochi in southern Russia has crashed over the Black Sea,
officials say.

The Airbus 320 plane from Armenian Airlines was carrying about 100
people, when it disappeared from radar screens about 0215 (2215GMT
Tuesday).

Debris has been seen in the sea, about 6km (four miles) from the coast,
says Russia’s Emergencies Ministry.

Bad weather conditions are making the search for survivors difficult.

Life jackets have been found in the accident area, although no people
have been found, said deputy head of Russia’s Emergency Situations
Ministry, Viktor Beltsov.

Among those on board were eight crew and five children, he said.

Sochi is a popular Russian seaside resort, near the border with
Georgia.