Armenian plane crash kills 113
All 113 passengers and crew on board an Armenian airliner were killed on Wednesday when the plane crashed into the Black Sea off the Russian coast in heavy rain, the Russian emergencies ministry said.
Investigators blamed bad weather for bringing down the Airbus A320, which was trying to land at Sochi, a popular leisure spot in southern Russia. Justice officials said they had no reason to suspect a bomb.
The Russian emergencies ministry said rescue workers had found baggage, life jackets, pieces of wreckage and a patch of oil floating on the surface of the sea at the crash site.
At least 39 bodies had been retrieved from the water by 0900 GMT, along with dozens of body parts.
“According to preliminary information, all people on board are dead,” a ministry spokeswoman said.
The plane, operated by Armavia, had been making a short flight of about an hour from the Armenian capital Yerevan. Most of the passengers were Armenian nationals.
An Armavia official said the aircraft had initially been refused permission to land because of torrential rain, but the airport officials changed their minds.
The crash happened as the crew made a second approach. The official ruled out a technical failure.
“Our initial information is that the only cause was the weather, for example poor visibility,” said Gayane Davtsian, a spokeswoman for Armenia’s state aviation authority.
Graham Muldoon
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season