RELATIVES OF BLACK SEA AIR CRASH VICTIMS GATHER IN SOCHI

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 3 2006

YEREVAN/SOCHI/ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 3 (RIA Novosti) – More than 70
relatives of victims of an air crash over the Black Sea have arrived in
Russia from Armenia, a regional coastal guard officer said Wednesday.

All the 113 Armenian and Russian passengers and crew are presumed
dead after an Airbus flying from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, to
an airport servicing the popular Russian resort of Sochi disappeared
from radar screens at 2:15 a.m. local time (Tuesday 10:15 p.m. GMT).

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said bad weather was most
likely to blame for the loss of the A-320, which belonged to Armenia’s
Armavia Airlines.

“A plane with official representatives from Armavia Airlines
will arrive at 2p.m. Moscow time (10a.m. GMT), and another plane
with relatives of the victims is expected at 4p.m. (12.00 GMT),”
said Vladislav Kozlitin, a spokesman for the regional border guard
department of the Federal Security Service.

Medical aid is also being provided to families of victims staying
at Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport while the bodies of their relatives
are being recovered from the Black Sea, airport doctor Lyudmila
Avakyan said.

Ambulance teams have also been summoned.

“Airport workers also need medical and psychological aid because it
was our crew and our stewards,” Avakyan said.

Armenia’s parliament has decided to set up a working group to provide
assistance to the victims’ families. In particular, members of
parliament will collect donations.

May 5 and 6 have been declared mourning days in Armenia, and May 5
in Russia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress