Flydubai plane crashes in Russia

  • 19/03/2016
FlyDubai FZ981's flight path (Flightradar24.com)
FlyDubai FZ981's flight path (Flightradar24.com)

All 62 people aboard a passenger jet flying from Dubai to southern Russia were killed when their plane crashed on its second attempt to land at Rostov-on-Don airport on Saturday, according to Russian officials.

Emergency vehicles could be seen stationed outside the Rostov-on-Don international airport early on Saturday.

Russia's emergencies ministry said the aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Dubai-based budget carrier Flydubai, crashed at 03:50 (local time). Most of those aboard were Russian.

"The aircraft hit the ground and broke into pieces," the Investigative Committee of Russia said in a statement on its website. "According to preliminary data, there were 55 passengers aboard and seven crew members. They all died."

The plane's wing hit the ground on its second landing attempt and burst into flames, the Rostov region emergency ministry said in a statement.

The region's governor, Vasily Golubev, said bad weather – strong, gusting wind in the Rostov area – was the primary line of investigation for the crash, but Zhanna Terekohova, an adviser to the Russian transport minister, said pilot error could also be a factor.

The plane came down inside the airport's perimeter, about 250 metres short of the start of the runway.

Grainy pictures from what appeared to be a security camera pointing towards the airport, which were broadcast on Russian television, showed a large explosion at ground level, with flames and sparks leaping high into the air.

Six of the crew were non-Russians, Russian emergency ministry said in a statement on its website, but it did not reveal the nationality of the crew or passengers aboard.

Reuters