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Pakistan sends condolences over Russian air crash

Xinhua, December 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Pakistan on Sunday sent condolences over the losses in a Russian military plane crash which killed all people onboard.

The Russian military Tu-154 aircraft carrying 92 people crashed Sunday in the Black Sea after taking off from the resort city of Sochi, Russian officials said.

"The leadership and the people of Pakistan are deeply grieved and saddened to learn about the tragic crash of Tu-154 aircraft in the Russian Federation today, which resulted in the loss of more than ninety valuable lives, including members of the renowned Alexandrov Ensemble," the Foreign Ministry said.

"We convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the friendly people and the government of the Russian Federation. The people of Pakistan share their grief and stand by them as they mourn their irreparable loss," a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The ill-fated plane, en route to a Russian Navy base in the Syrian port city of Latakia, vanished from the radar screens shortly after taking off from an airfield in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi at 5:40 a.m. Moscow Time (0240 GMT).

The Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said four ships and five helicopters are currently operating in the crash site, adding that the ministry is maneuvering more forces and equipment for the rescue mission. Endit